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Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Council Audiotapes Policy
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction relating to requests for copies of
audiotapes of CBRM Council/Committee meetings.
DEFINITION:
"Official record" of meeting - The approved written minutes of the proceedings.
GENERAL:
It is the corporate practice of CBRM to operate in an open and
transparent environment, making as much information available to the
public as possible.
The CBRM, as noted, recognizes the approved written minutes of its
proceedings as the "official record". These minutes include summarized
narratives on the various issues that come before Council/Committee
and record actions or motions. The minutes are not and should not be
taken in verbatim style.
The Clerk's office uses audio recording equipment to assist with
accurate composition of draft minutes.
To ensure the integrity and status of the written minutes once approved
it will be the normal practice to destroy audiotapes once minute
approval is complete.
On certain occasions and on certain issues, it might be desirable for
historic purposes to maintain an audiotape. The preservation of such
tapes will be an infrequent event and the decision to preserve will be at
the discretion of the Council/Committee.
Council Audiotapes Policy
Page 2
It will be the normal practice that:
a) In the interim between composition of draft minutes and the formal
approval of same at the next meeting of Council/Committee
(approximately 60 days), the audiotapes will be maintained.
b) Once approval is given to draft minutes and they become the
"official record", the audiotapes may be destroyed.
c) In the time period that audiotapes are maintained before destruction
or permanent filing, anyone requesting a copy of a publicly available
tape must do so in writing.
d) Audiotapes of "In Camera" sessions will not be made available.
e) Any costs for reproduction of such tapes will be the responsibility
of the requester and must be paid before a tape is released.
Approved by Council: June 21, 2005