Thetford Town Council issues statement after suspending meeting due to residents recording public forum

A town council has issued a statement after its full meeting was disrupted last night by residents refusing to stop recording others during its 15-minute public forum.

Thetford Town Council suspended its meeting at The Carnegie in Cage Lane after members of the public complained they were being filmed during the start of the proceedings.

The statement said the council gives the 15-minute window to allow residents to ask direct questions to its councillors.

The statement continued: “A decision was made by this council some time ago to prohibit the filming of the forum because of complaints from members of the public who felt intimidated by the presence of filming equipment during the forum making them uncomfortable to ask questions.

“Thetford Town Council also considers GDPR concerns to be of paramount importance and this also informed this decision.

“Some members of the public refused to adhere to the request to desist from filming the public forum resulting in the meeting being suspended for a period of time.

“The meeting was later convened but regrettably by that time members of the public had left the meeting meaning that legitimate residents’ concerns were not able to be heard.”