One of the challenges in maintaining order at Council meetings for the chairperson was not having effective control over the microphones and amplification equipment in the Council Chamber.
The amplification and audio system in the Council Chamber was showing its age and was in need of renewal.
At the 31 May 2016 Council meeting, Council accepted my recommendation that Council officers as a matter of priority implement improvements to the quality of the audio system so that amplification of our proceedings is improved for all persons in the Public Gallery (including outside the glass wall).
As part of these improvements, I also proposed that the system include a switch available for the chairperson which can be used to switch off all other microphones, other than the chairperson’s microphone, in the event of disorderly conduct.
This new system has been operational since the August meeting and has improved the amplification of proceedings for the benefit of everyone and places the chairperson of the meeting in a more effective position to manage the meeting.
In my view this will further contribute to the resurrection of order and control at Council meetings by preventing an unruly councillor from being able to speak over the Chairperson and the rest of the proceedings.
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