While uncoupling this from the council meetings as such seems to be a state-wide directive, and not necessarily a bad thing, I do seriously question the decision to stop live streaming of these public input sessions.

Mayor Tiley speaks of 'a heightened experience', when surely it will become a 'lessened experience' if this input is unnecessarily restricted from public view.

The question that should be being asked is: What legal, financial or technological impediments are there to continue this streaming?

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If the answer is 'none', then in the interests of public input into council discourse, the streaming should continue. This is especially so when there are still severe COVID based restrictions on physical attendance of the public, not to speak of the 3 pm time slot, which may be inconvenient to many working people.

I would hate to see a return to the dark ages, when council often seemed to work in secret, so come on councillors, and open up fully to public scrutiny and criticism!

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