COUNCILLORS should be banned from reading dull speeches from pieces of paper and refrain from tweeting during Town Hall meetings.

This was the suggestion from former deputy council leader Councillor Andrew Marshall, a Tory, as he joined the debate on how to make meetings more effective and engaging.

“We could do with the same custom as Parliament – that speeches should not be read. Listening to a speech being read out is painful, and happens too often,” he said. “The use of Twitter has become a real problem, we should frankly try and regulate ourselves better on this. I’ve been an offender, not least because sometimes it’s easier to say things on Twitter than in the chamber. Councillors need to implement a self-denying ordinance to cut back on Twitter during full council.” 

The debate centres on whether Tweeting during meetings is negative or not: does it create the impression of speaking to rows of heads bowed over mobile phones or actually increase public interest in council matters?

The debate over the way Camden handles its meetings has been stirred by Islington Council’s decision to reform its full council meeting. The neighbouring borough has an even larger Labour majority than Camden – the only opposition is a lone Green councillor – and concerns have been raised about how that dominance could stifle debate. 

Changes agreed last week will see an hour of public questions reserved for the start of the meeting and a new online petition system in which residents can help shape which issues are put on the council’s agenda.

Cllr Marshall was the group leader during a four-year Lib Dem and Tory coalition which controlled Camden up until 2010. He has spent 24 years on the council.

“Islington’s ideas are no doubt interesting and suitable to its circumstances,” he said. “But councils should be different from each other – that’s localism.”

But on Tuesday night the man who chairs Camden’s full council meeting said he would not be following up on the suggestions on speeches and Twitter.

Mayor Councillor Lazzaro Pietragnoli said: “I am more interested in what people have to say, rather than how they say it – so it is OK for them to read if that’s what they want to do. Some people have different abilities when it comes to making speeches, but we should be able to hear all of the contributions.”

He added: “I think there are probably more people following our meetings on Twitter than on webcasts, so I’m not against something that can engage the audience outside. We are grown-up people, we are more than capable of listening to what people are saying and checking our phones at the same time.”

l Camden Council has still not rescheduled the full council meeting it postponed so councillors could head to Trafalgar Square for a rally urging Scottish people to vote against independence last month. The business from the lost meeting may now be heard at extended sessions next month. 

Green councillor Sian Berry, who missed out on hearing her motion about a reserve help fund for volunteer-run services being debated, said: “It’s a bit rum.”

A council spokesman said: “The mayor is able to call a further meeting if he considers this necessary and councillors continue to discuss the options.”