Steps by council officers during a confidential session have raised similar issues to the Jamie Bryson wire controversy

Media and members of the public were asked to remove their coats from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) chambers amid fears a confidential session could be recorded.

The move even saw a councillor quip about the controversy that surrounded the leaking to the loyalist activist of a meeting of DUP members in January ahead of the party’s return to Stormont.

It was reported that a “senior” DUP executive member behind leaking the speech made by party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was wearing a wire. The member used the recording device to relay the speech live to Jamie Bryson who posted it on X/Twitter in real-time.LCCC councillors raised concerns over a similar wire issue as the planning committee went into confidential session to seek legal advice.

The media and members of the public were asked to leave the chambers, but moments later were called back by a council officer and asked to remove their coats from thel room.

An amused Downshire West Councillor Alan Martin put his arm up to his mouth saying: “Hey, Jamie Bryson is that you there, can you hear me?”

The council has previously taken steps to ensure confidential meetings are not being recorded by the media. During a separate secret meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service returned to chambers to find that its laptop had been removed from the chamber by a council officer.

It was later returned when the meeting came back in to open session.

Currently LCCC policy does not permit third party recording of any of its council meetings.