Cheshire East is planning to implement a new filming and recording protocol following incidents where some members of the public have 'intimidated' councillors by behaving in an intrusive manner.

The council says there have been cases where individual councillors have been targeted and a member of the public has focused on filming a single councillor during the entirety of the meeting.

The public has a right to film and record any council meeting but, following the recent cases which one councillor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service had been very intimidating, Cheshire East has had a rethink about its practices.

Under the new protocol, which the constitution committee has recommended full council approve, anyone who wishes to film or record a Cheshire East meeting is asked to provide three clear working days' notice of their intention to do so.

Brian Reed, head of democratic services, told Friday's constitution committee meeting: "The purpose of the protocol is to strengthen and to give confidence to members and chairs who are responsible for meetings."

He said the three days' notice was 'a request'.

"It's to help staff make sure that the right provision is in place for an area from which members of the public can film or record," said Mr Reed.

Cllr Sally Holland (Congleton, Conservative), asked: "Is there anything in place so that members can say, 'I do not want to be filmed', and what processes have we got in place to protect people if they do not want to be filmed?"

Mr Reed told her he did not believe a councillor could object because a member of the public has a right to film or record a meeting.

But he added: "A chair is quite within their rights to step in and adjourn a meeting if necessary, in order to stop individuals dealing inappropriately with that right to film."

The committee paper says the protocol was being revisited because 'in the light of recent high-profile protests and related public criticism of some members, it is understandable that some members might feel threatened when filmed'.

It says the intention of the legislation, when introduced in 2014, was to create a democratic environment in which there could be complete openness, allowing press and public alike to film and report upon the democratic process.

It continues: "However, the legislation was enacted 12 years ago, and it is clear that during this period, politics, use of technology, blogging and polarised views have changed the democratic environment immeasurably.

"The tragic deaths of Jo Cox MP and David Amies MP, and direct action by protest groups, have added to the pressures felt by elected members and, to a smaller extent, by some officers."

Mr Reed told the committee: "There is very, very little in that statutory guidance and legislation, which talks about the rights of members and individuals, it's entirely with the right of individuals to film and lacking in detail, in my view, about what protections there should be.

"That's why, at the request of the task and finish group, already an approach is being made to the likes of the Local Government Association, seeking strengthening and some protections around this."