John Davis raised a mayoral minute on Tuesday night, saying there had been increasing commentary about the need for meetings to be recorded. 

Written minutes are kept, which summarise what speakers say, but not their exact wording. 

“I’ve always voted against this … [but] this questioning of what’s said and what isn’t said, this would overcome that,” Cr Davis said.

OUR SAY: Recording sound but reasons concerning

Councillors Kevin Duffy and Reg Kidd have both questioned the council’s minutes in recent weeks, surrounding the voting numbers for the airport proposal and action on the council’s code of conduct respectively.

Cr Duffy’s query would not have changed the result, while Cr Kidd’s asked for stronger wording objecting to councillors having to decide on sanctions for their colleagues.

Cr Davis said after the meeting he had full confidence in staff, but recording would encourage more professional conduct from councillors.

“In a discussion, it can heated and it’s amazing that 12 people can put down what they think was said and a lot of them are different,” he said.

“If anyone wants to know what they’re voting for, they’ll read it out – there shouldn’t be a need to question the minutes.

“Professionalism doesn’t mean you’ve got to be constrained or refrain from doing things.”

The council trialled recording in 2010, but did not continue with it and Cr Davis said there was concern council meetings were not subject to parliamentary privilege, unlike state and federal parliament where MPs are given legal immunity.

A report will come back to the next meeting.

Cr Duffy asked for live recordings in February but the motion was voted down. 

A reader poll showed almost 80 per cent would watch live-streamed council meetings from home, 15.8 per cent would not and 4.2 per cent per were unsure.