Cameras were used in the council chamber in Hertfordshire for the first time – as the county council prepares to webcast its future meetings.

Currently the only way members of the public can see full meetings of the county council is to turn up to County Hall, in Hertford.

But from February the meetings – which are held in the Council Chamber – will be webcast.

And that means residents will be able to watch the action as it happens on their computers, tablets or mobile phones.

In addition there are also plans to webcast meetings of the county council’s cabinet, development control committee, overview and scrutiny committee, and health scrutiny committee.

Last Tuesday's meeting of the full council was filmed for the first time to trial the technology – though this footage will not be available for broadcast.

Commenting on the move, Leader of the county council Cllr David Williams said: “We hope that webcasting some of the council’s meetings will help increase transparency of decision making and enable and encourage greater public participation in council meetings.

“At this stage full council, cabinet, development control committee, overview and scrutiny committee, and health scrutiny committee have been identified for webcasting.

“The system has recently been installed and was tested at full council.  Further testing will now take place before webcasting begins.”

The first fully webcast meeting of the full council will be on February 19, 2019.

Cabinet panels and other committees – which are not held in the council chamber – will not be webcast.

Other councils in Hertfordshire that already webcast some of their meetings include East Herts District Council, St Albans District Council, Hertsmere Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.