Handforth Parish Council meeting - hilarious zoom video

[SheilaNaGig]

I think the question is why it matters to you. I posted up my opinion and you have posted up several posts taking issue with me. I am as you say speaking from experience. For which you call po faced.

Taken issue with you?
No I haven’t

I’ve responded to your questions and to your posts that take issue with my responses.

 

[teuchter]

I think we just need to get out more

That's kind of the joke, or at least that's a level on which I can enjoy it.

 

[RubyToogood]

I don’t have to like it though

I know what you mean but it is quite funny. Three days ago anyway.

 

[Orang Utan]

That's kind of the joke, or at least that's a level on which I can enjoy it.

I wonder what's next in the boring-things-made-interesting-cos-everyones-bored-with-living-in-a-dystopian-nightmare soap opera

 

[Gramsci]

I think we just need to get out more

Well yes.

Since pandemic all local community meetings/ Council meetings have been Zoom/Team or not happening at all.

Its led to misunderstandings / cross wires.

Also in case of full Council meetings like contentious planning committee meetings that Council have been able to keep out joe public "hecklers".

As a way of making local democracy/ community meetings more accessible internet it is useful.

I however am seeing drawbacks to internet only meetings.

 

[BigMoaner]

That's kind of the joke, or at least that's a level on which I can enjoy it.

got out of bed, sat in my chair logged on and worked for six hours. slept in my bed during lunch break. 1/2 hour state approved walking - avoided park bench as i am not allowed to sit on it. checked death count. checked injection roll out amount. argued about whether 5 million people talking about whether jackie weaver has The Authority.

is someone taking the piss?

 

[Gramsci]

Also I think there's an element of everyone recognising the zoom meetings that we have all found ourselves trapped in over the past year and there's some level of relief in having a bit of a laugh at the farce we've all become part of.

I now think that zoom meetings can actually make worse already existing tensions. It like here or other parts of the internet. People can go off on one they would not do in "real" life. As someone said to me of Zoom / Team one does not get any of the non verbal cues/ communication that one can use too read a meeting.

Looking at the clips and my experience in last year of Zoom/Team it is a mixed bag.

My way of trying to deal with this is to focus on structures rather than the personalities. I do try to step back sometimes. Also Id rather just have a row and next month forget about it. Not hold a grudge.

The other thing I miss is not being able too have after meeting pub discussion.

If Zoom/ Team is the primitive precursor to more open participatory democracy then perhaps the techology could improve. Internet games are much more realistic.

Also could be that things like parish Councils , community meetings in drafty rooms are thing of the past.

Ive been looking at some of the models of direct/ participatory democracy as trailed in Madrid for example.

 

[Orang Utan]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

 

[neonwilderness]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

I hope that you’ve read and understood the standing orders.

 

[two sheds]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

I just tell them I'm at my desktop and don't have a camera.

 

[Sue]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

I have about six a day at work and have done for nearly a year now... You can always turn your camera off at any time-- just mumble something about broadband issues if you feel the need to explain why you're not using your camera.

 

[BigMoaner]

Zoom at the start felt awkward af but slowly they have become the norm. Tbh it's a relief to see anyone human, even if they are talking about scopes of work and purchase orders. I like the human contact and have grown to look forward to zooms. Sad init

 

[Orang Utan]

I have about six a day at work and have done for nearly a year now... You can always turn your camera off at any time-- just mumble something about broadband issues if you feel the need to explain why you're not using your camera.

can you switch off other people's faces? I don't want to be looking at other people while I try to concentrate on what the trainer is saying

 

[Orang Utan]

I have about six a day at work and have done for nearly a year now... You can always turn your camera off at any time-- just mumble something about broadband issues if you feel the need to explain why you're not using your camera.

I'm still going into work every day, even when I'm 'working from home'

 

[Sue]

can you switch off other people's faces? I don't want to be looking at other people while I try to concentrate on what the trainer is saying

Think it depends which one you're using (Zoom/Skype/MS teams/Google hangouts). You can generally change the view so just the person talking is displayed but I'm not sure you can turn other people off. (I've never tried tbh.)

 

[Sue]

I'm still going into work every day, even when I'm 'working from home'

Sure, everyone's working/WFH thing is different.

 

[Orang Utan]

Think it depends which one you're using (Zoom/Skype/MS teams/Google hangouts). You can generally change the view so just the person talking is displayed but I'm not sure you can turn other people off. (I've never tried tbh.)

We have our weekly meetings on Skype, but Zoom hasn't been used much. I want to switch off the camera so I can get on with reading the paper like I usually do in online meetings

 

[T & P]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

This won’t resonate with you if you haven’t watched the video, but Julie’s iPad is the true winner of the Handforth council meeting. Camera off so you don’t see her, joins late, doesn’t participate- let alone argue- with anyone else, even takes an outside phone call during the meeting, and she sails through unnoticed and walks away completely unscathed and untainted from the experience

 

[Shechemite]

I suspect aled is autistic. Still a nob

 

[Gramsci]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

With Zoom you can have camera off. Their are icons at bottom of screen. Fairly easy to use. And turn mic off.

If its training lesson should be straightforward.

For that zoom works pretty well.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I've got my first zoom meeting tomorrow and you're making me scared! I sincerely hope I can keep my camera off during it

i think you need to borrow a cat to sit in front of the camera

 

[Gramsci]

Well if people are concerned about democracy Im having doubts on how Councils use Teams.

Normally at planning committee meetings for example there is a public audience. Which can get lively during Lambeth Councils more contentious applications. Team meetings for planning are a godsend to Cllrs as they dont have to deal with hecklers. This is imo a loss to local democracy.

Team meetings can be run so that the public can watch but alll their microphones are muted. So no heckling. They cant raise banners as no one can see them.

Spoils all the fun of it. The people giving vent to their feelings is stopped.

I think their should be way to run these kind of meetings to accurately replicate what it was in real life.

 

[Dom Traynor]

Well if people are concerned about democracy Im having doubts on how Councils use Teams.

Normally at planning committee meetings for example there is a public audience. Which can get lively during Lambeth Councils more contentious applications. Team meetings for planning are a godsend to Cllrs as they dont have to deal with hecklers. This is imo a loss to local democracy.

Team meetings can be run so that the public can watch but alll their microphones are muted. So no heckling. They cant raise banners as no one can see them.

Spoils all the fun of it. The people giving vent to their feelings is stopped.

I think their should be way to run these kind of meetings to accurately replicate what it was in real life.

Here in New Zealand during our brief lockdowns last year and even after them I hosted several election forums with candidates. We used Zoom over Facebook live and people could use the comments thread to ask questions and say what they thought, we monitored it for the really off the wall time wasting stuff, but it was great a real free for all without people being shouted over.

 

[jannerboyuk]

Yep. Mostly. I believe Jonathan Bishop was a parish councillor.

Community councillor, and still is Council Members - Taff No parish councils in Wales, i’m a Pontypridd Town councillor meself

 

[jannerboyuk]

I think for community councils you have to live in the area covered, so you’d only be on one as they don’t overlap.

Elections are held, but you wouldn’t necessarily know if you’re not one of those who cares.

Not true in Wales, if you’ve worked in the area, or neighbouring community within five years you can stand, which is why JB stands in different places. He was elected unopposed in Taffs Well

 

[ddraig]

It's great that meetings get streamed as often local council and other decision making committees and meetings are hidden away and people only find out after decisions are made
Obviously there are still people who don't have access or don't know about them but the more transparency the better

 

[ska invita]

Misery and discord as entertainment

personally i found it cathartic based on my own experience of fractious meetings
immediate instinct kicked in to understand the process, form alliances, work out where the balance of power was and serve justice to the committee-dictatorship!
as teuchter says, many people have to deal with lots of meetings so this is all very relatable. all the microaggressions, maneuvering and tyranny of process are a big part of peoples lives - its rare that it ever comes up to talk about

 

[T & P]

 

[Guineveretoo]

In case it is of interest to anyone, here is a lawyer outlining what he perceives as the legal position wrt that meeting.



TL;DR - Jackie Weaver had the authority to be there, the meeting was called legally, but she should not have excluded the chairman without a vote of the councillors.

 

[kabbes]

In case it is of interest to anyone, here is a lawyer outlining what he perceives as the legal position wrt that meeting.



TL;DR - Jackie Weaver had the authority to be there, the meeting was called legally, but she should not have excluded the chairman without a vote of the councillors.

She didn’t read and understand the standing orders?