Councillor says he joined a council meeting online while driving by accident
Twm Owen, local democracy reporter
A Tory councillor and priest has said it was an “accident” he joined a council meeting online while driving to officiate at a funeral.
Father Malcolm Lane, who is a county councillor in Monmouthshire, was asked to pull over after he spoke, to confirm his name, via video link in a council meeting this week.
When Cllr Lane was asked to introduce himself at the council committee meeting he was asked by the chairman if he was driving and confirmed he was.
Pull over
Chairman, Labour councillor Armand Watts said he was unsure of what he should do, and after consulting with the committee clerk, advised Cllr Lane to pull over.
Cllr Lane, who took no further active part in the meeting, said his intention had been to only listen to the discussion while he was driving.
But after “accidently” leaving his phone camera on, that was connected to his car’s audio system, he appeared on screen when the meeting, that is streamed by the council on You Tube, started at 10am.
The councillor said he attended the pre-meeting, at 9.30am via video link from home, and intended listening to the public session when councillors were briefed on dental services as he drove to the funeral.
Crematorium
He said: “I was to officiate at a funeral at 11 o’clock at Langston Vale Crematorium and decided to listen to the rest of the meeting in the car after I left home which was at 10.15 for the journey to the crematorium and I thought I would listen to the meeting through the audio system on my car.
“I had accidentally omitted to turn the screen off. I just wished to leave the phone on to transmit through the audio system of my car.
“My phone was laid flat on the middle console of the car. I was about halfway on my journey to Newport when I heard the chairman speak to me and ask if I was driving which was when I realised that I had not turned the screen off. I pulled in when convenient to remedy this situation.
“I had not taken my eyes off the road until I pulled in so I was driving at all times and my vision of the road was not impaired.”
Cllr Lane, who represents Mardy in Abergavenny, confirmed use of the phone was “hands free” as it was connected to the car audio system.
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I wonder if all the people pulled by the police can use this defence.
He should know the law regarding the use of the phone and the effects of being distracted whilst driving. Engaging in conversations distracts the driver, even a hands free conversation but a video call, come on. It makes people really dangerous drivers.
Personally I would ban any use of the phone whilst driving, even the hands free bit. Council policy should be no use for any business whilst driving. If the caller realises that the they are driving then they disconnect straight away.