ATTENDING a council meeting could be just a click away after a council agreed to look into broadcasting on the internet.

A Green Party motion called on the Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, to investigate costs and set out a timetable for putting meetings online.

The Greens argued webcasting council meetings would open up local democracy to more people and could improve politicians' standards of debate and behaviour.

Disability group, Campaign for Independent Living in Lewisham (CILL), is supporting the idea.

Co-ordinator at CILL, Denise Smith, said: “Webcasting of council meetings is an important equalities issue.

“Many disabled people cannot get to meetings for many different reasons”.

She added: “The right to active citizenship is something the Disability Movement has long argued for and government policy supports this yet many of us cannot get to council meetings.”

Cameras and microphones are already installed in the council chamber, which would make it simple to introduce and at a reasonable cost.

Green Party Group leader Councillor Darren Johnson said: “The council has a great deal of power but too few people see it taking and debating important decisions, even when they care deeply about the issues.

“Putting our meetings online will make us all more accessible to busy residents with work commitments, childcare and caring duties, as well as those with disabilities.”

A Lib Dem amendment was agreed and the motion was passed unanimously by all of Lewisham’s political parties.

Lib Dem for Whitefoot Ward, Councillor Dan Houghton, said: “Webcasting meetings doesn’t guarantee good behaviour in the council chamber, but it will open up the town hall to wider scrutiny which is something the Lib Dem group wholeheartedly support.”

Other local authorities which already webcast council meetings include Essex County Council, Bristol City Council and London Assembly.