MIDDLEWICH Town Council is set to investigate the costs of audio recording its meetings and making them available online.

In a move which would follow Cheshire East Council’s lead, Middlewich’s full council, internal committee and external committee meetings could be recorded and published online.

Councillors also voted to look into funding an improved sound system for meetings held in the Victoria Hall, where residents in the public gallery often struggle to hear what is going on.

A Cllr Mike Hunter’s motion at last week's meeting called on the council to ‘investigate the costs and feasibility’ of recording proceedings.

Cllr Gareth Williams said: “It is long overdue. We have talked and talked about it and we need to do it, but obviously we need to find out what the costs implication is first.”

Borough councils including Cheshire East and Cheshire West records and uploads most meetings, while nearby Alsager Town Council is one to have introduced recording for accuracy of minutes.

At last Monday's meeting, with residents frequently saying that they could not hear, Cllr Helen Watkinson suggested the council also look into the costs of a sound system.

Cllr Pauline Hickey said: “I agree with that. The acoustics in this building are awful – we do need to do something about it.

“It would be very beneficial if we had a sound system where people could hear, and a recording so people know what is doing on.”