A council is marching ahead with plans to make its proceedings more transparent by bringing in recording equipment.

Harrietsham Parish Council was almost entirely renewed at May’s election, when all eight candidates from the residents’ group Harrietsham Against Reckless Development, were elected.

New councillors felt that many authorities were too reluctant to release information and immediately began to put all agendas, minutes and reports online and set up a Facebook page.

It is now going a step further and will video all meetings and make them available on a Youtube link on the website.

Kent County and Maidstone Borough Councils both broadcast their meetings, but Harrietsham will be the first parish council in Kent to do so.

Cllr Colin Przystupa, said: “We considered a live webcast, but they would involve the expense of hiring a third party to host the site, and judging by Maidstone council would not be very effective anyway. In our experience almost half of their meetings are not immediately available.”

Instead the parish plans to record the meetings themselves with the target of posting the film the next day.

Cllr Przystupa said: “We aim to put everything out there for the public. We know we are not going to get everything right, and if villagers don’t like what we are doing, hopefully they will tell us and we can review our decisions.”

He added: “The videos will enable the frail and elderly to view from the comfort of their own home.”

The council has to purchase and test the equipment and hopes to broadcast its first council meeting in January.