Budget broadcast barred from radio

OLDHAM Community Radio boss Dave McGealey was left speechless when the plug was pulled on this year’s live broadcast of the council’s annual budget meeting.

Mr McGealey, who has broadcast the meeting live from the council chamber in previous years, made a courtesy call to Oldham Council last Monday to say that he would be doing live coverage of the Wednesday meeting as usual and was stopped in his tracks when he was told that he couldn’t.

“It was unbelievable,” said Mr McGealey. “I asked for an explanation or to be put through to somebody who would give me an explanation and was told that everyone had to agree to it before it was given the go-ahead and that hadn’t happened.”

Mr McGealey, after rapidly rescheduling his programmes for Wednesday night, attended the council meeting to ask councillors why permission to broadcast had been withdrawn.

“Nobody seemed to know anything about it,” he said. “There was some mumbling and then councillors just walked off.”

Charlie Parker, Chief Executive of Oldham Council, said: “Mr McGealey only contacted the council on Monday about broadcasting the full council meeting live on Wednesday night.

“The members of Oldham Council have previously agreed that it is not council policy to allow the verbatim broadcasting of meetings live from the council chamber — other than the annual council/mayor making meeting — without everyone’s prior agreement.

“I am advised that this has been the policy for a number of years.

“We actively strive to promote democracy and encourage media outlets to cover meetings of the authority.

“In this instance we did offer Oldham Community Radio the opportunity to interview people before, during and after the meeting, but this was not acted upon.

“In the light of this incident I have spoken with all the group leaders about looking at future arrangements.

“With more time, and better opportunities for planning the event, I am sure that we will be able to put in place suitable arrangements for enabling the work of the council to reach a wider public audience.”