A town council clerk has revealed his ambitious plans to introduce state-of-the-art technology and podcasts to bring councillors closer to the people.
Michael Gledhill, Oakengates Town Council Clerk, has been looking into the costings for new technology as they move into their new premises Oakengates Theatre @ The Place.
If approved by town councillors Mr Gledhill hopes to install a touch screen information television for members of the public to access public notices.
He said: “We are looking at that going in the theatre so we can have notices where a member of public walking outside can touch the window and open that as a link to information.
“It is state-of-the-art technology and it would cost around £2,500.
“It is a 40 inch computer-type monitor that goes on the window.
“If we do get this we will be the first council in the UK to have one.”
Mr Gledhill, who has a background in IT, also hopes to introduce a projector and whiteboard to council meetings where comments can be written on the board and then printed off after the meeting.
The projector could also be used to start a cinema club.
Eventually he wants to see council meetings transmitted as podcasts on the internet.
“We could have a podcast of the council meetings,” he said.
“Where someone is sitting at home as the meeting goes ahead.
“In the States a lot of council meetings are played on the internet. These ideas are to bring the council closer to the people.
“So they can see what we are doing and how we make the decisions and how we spend money.”