Jason Kitcat: update on the councillor facing censure for using YouTube

A quick update on my post about Brighton Green councillor Jason Kitcat, who is facing disciplinary action over putting footage of a local council meeting up on YouTube. Far from being seen (as it should) as a welcome way of letting more people know about what happened at a public meeting, the council has reacted with hostility.

Jason Kitcat has posted the latest news over on his blog, and it is good to see that he is getting support from across the political spectrum:

ConservativeHome’s local government blog had yesterday posted a supportive piece which Local Government Minister Grant Shapps MP then tweeted a link to, adding his own view:

Surely no justification for reporting a Cllr who seeks to promote openness to the Standards Board

Indeed! The comments on the ConservativeHome piece are a fun read too.

Additionally Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, who has long campaigned on the inadequate councillor Standards Board regime, is supporting me and has helped me in preparing my case. John was a councillor for 17 years and Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council for a time.

You can read his full post here.

UPDATE

Jason Kitcat has won out in the end:

At an independent hearing yesterday Coun Kitcat was cleared of breaching the members’ code of conduct and showing disrespect to fellow councillor Geoffrey Theobald.

This was despite council bosses spending thousands of pounds on a barrister for the appeal, who advertises his ability to “stick the boot in”.