The press pack
THE first time I went to a full council meeting at Camden Town Hall nearly ten years, there were six journalists hanging around the designated press bench in the corner. Last night, there were empty chairs. Council stories might not always be the most headline grabbing, but… but.. but. The council must be wondering why they still send a press officer to chaperone the vacant seats.
Never mind Full council: journalists attending scrutiny panels, once a cert has also disappeared.
..and as for Development Control.
Only thing I’d say about scrutiny meetings is that the change to broad base scrutiny committees from topic panels changed the dynamic for the press a little. The scrutiny panels definitely attracted more press because they didn’t just feel like a rerun of arguments you would hear at cabinet anyway.
Worth noting too, Tom Foot is a regular attender of Health Scrutiny.