DEMOCRACY will be heard as well as seen to be in action in future during debates in the council chamber in Burcot Lane.

On Monday, the recently-installed sound system was switched on for the first time for Bromsgrove District Council's planning and highways committee meeting.

There are individual microphones on the dais for use by the chairman, deputy chairman and chief officers.

Councillors sitting in the inner circle of seats in front of it will also get one each, but those on the outer will share with a neighbour.

The idea of installing a system to improve the acoustics in the chamber to enable the public, Press and other councillors to hear clearly had been around for a long time.

And disputes over who said what to whom during debates will be a thing of the past as the system has a recording facility.