AREC KL-3T Helps to Create an Oasis of Transparency in Manchester Council

Trafford Council in the UK uses AREC products to promote transparency and provide local residents with access to livestreams. Delivered in collaboration with distributor Tukans and system integrator GVAV, this project showcases how AREC KL-3T Media Stations enable governmental organisations to easily reach and engage their constituents on a daily basis.

Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council serves as the local authority for the Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester. The Council is responsible for a wide range of administrative functions, including setting council tax rates, overseeing local health services, managing education and social care, and more. These responsibilities are carried out through formal meetings, which must be recorded and streamed to ensure transparency.

However, the Council’s original AV setup was falling short of expectations. The process of initiating and monitoring recordings and livestreams proved cumbersome and inefficient. Seeking to improve the overall meeting production experience, the Council turned to UK distributor Tukans and system integrator GVAV, who proposed a comprehensive solution that met all of their requirements.

The recommended setup centred on AREC KL-3T Media Stations. These devices are capable of combining up to three video sources with audio inputs into a single output for recording and streaming. Simultaneously, each video source is also recorded separately, enabling post-production editing and individual content review. The KL-3T also allows for the creation of mixed video outputs with custom overlays and backgrounds, such as organisational logos, speaker titles, promotional content, or additional informational graphics.

The KL-3T model is particularly well suited to council use, as it features a built-in interactive display that continuously shows what is being recorded and streamed. It is also equipped with an intuitive graphical user interface, enabling all key functions to be controlled easily with a single touch.

As a result, even staff without an IT or AV background can manage recordings and livestreams independently, without the need for additional hardware or software, to reduce costs. Furthermore, thanks to the integrated control and preview display, the stations are highly portable and can be moved between different council rooms as required.

The council employs Angekis PTZ cameras to capture speakers from multiple angles. These cameras automatically display the active speaker, thanks to the Televic Confero CAM solution, which is integrated with the Media Station and generates on-screen names and titles for each speaker. Audio is captured using the Televic Confidea G4 Discussion System, with its central unit connected directly to the Media Station as an audio input.

The solution implemented for Trafford Council has simplified the recording and production of council meetings to the point of near automation, precisely what the council required. This system is now used successfully to ensure public access to all council meetings, which are streamed live on the Trafford Council YouTube channel. Alternatively, viewers can watch the stream from the council chambers, one of several locations where Trafford Council is utilising AREC devices.

Is your local council offering the same standard of transparency? Contact us to discuss how the AREC Media Capture System can enhance their setup.