RESIDENTS in South Oxfordshire - and across the globe - will have the chance to watch all district council meetings from the comfort of their own homes.

From next month, people will be able to tune into live webcasts of all South Oxfordshire District Council meetings.

A limited service was launched last year and already attracts hundreds of viewers each month from as far afield as Australia.

In addition to watching live broadcasts, residents can also download recordings of previous meetings via the council's website.

SODC is now extending its webcast service to cover scrutiny, audit and corporate governance committees along with high profile licensing meetings.

The council originally launched the service in January 2006 to broadcast planning, cabinet and full council meetings.

Since then, about 550 people each month have viewed its webcast meeting and that popularity has prompted the council to extend the service.

Council officers use three fixed-position webcams within the council chamber to film meetings and the sound is taken directly from the chamber's microphones.

Officers can switch between the cameras to ensure speakers are captured on film, and the meeting is streamed over the Internet in real time and unedited.

The entire system costs the council £19,000 per year to run.

SODC chief executive David Buckle said: "I am pleased we are extending this service to cover more meetings.

"Webcasts are an excellent way to give the wider community, not just those who can attend in person, an insight into how decisions are made.

"By broadcasting meetings live, the council's decision making process becomes more open and transparent."

Live and recorded meetings are available at the website www.southoxon.gov.uk/webcasts