REPLACING written minutes with You Tube clips has raised fears future generations may no longer be able to research decades old council debates. 

Since July last year Monmouthshire County Council has sought to avoid producing written minutes by publishing a brief summary of items being discussed with a link to the start of the debate in a full length video.     

Labour councillor Sara Burch raised her concerns at Monmouthshire County Council’s governance and audit committee. 

The Abergavenny Cantref member said: “The definitive record is You Tube rather than our actual written minutes. It is possible to know what was said at a council meeting one hundred years ago, currently. I’m not sure we can say that if we rely on You Tube.” 

Head of finance Jonathan Davies said the issue can be addressed in the council’s annual governance statement. 

When the committee considered the draft statement, earlier in July, its acting chief internal auditor, Jan Furtek, said a report on minute taking is being prepared as using video clips isn’t up to the standard required. 

The council streams nearly all of its meetings on You Tube and also has a back up recording system.