Chelmsford City Council

This case study showcases a successful audio equipment upgrade for Chelmsford City Council.

Technical Display Ltd installed state-of-the-art technology engineered for enduring performance to enhance ‘live’ chamber sessions for all participants.

May 2024

The City of Chelmsford is a local government district with borough and city status in Essex, England. On 1 June 2012, the district was granted city status to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, and the council therefore changed its name to “Chelmsford City Council”

Technical Display Ltd has been working with the council since 2014 when we designed and commissioned their council chamber and adjacent meeting rooms. We provided a complete upgrade with the latest audio-visual technology and have maintained the facilities since the upgrade with an annual “Service Level Agreement.”

The original 76 Televic Confidea DV G3 wireless microphones are approximately 10 years old, and the client had been experiencing problems with some of the equipment failing, including batteries, etc. Unfortunately, due to the age of the equipment, replacement parts had been discontinued. In late 2023, Technical Display Ltd was tasked with upgrading the legacy equipment to provide a future-proof system to deliver an enhanced experience for all involved.

 

2024 Microphone and Hard-of-Hearing Update

Technical Display demonstrated several different solutions to Chelmsford City Council. The client chose the hard-wired Televic conference D-Cerno D SL discussion microphones.

This included:

  • 6no D-Cerno Flush mounted Delegate Microphone Units to be flush mounted within the top tables
  • 1no D-CERNO-FCM Chairman’s Unit, to be flush mounted within the top table
  • 58no D-Cerno D SL Tabletop Delegate Discussion Microphones
  • 3no D-CERNO-CUR Central Unit with recording capability

 

Technical Display also demonstrated the Unite hard-of-hearing system to the client, who was extremely pleased with its ease of set-up and use and its overall performance.

As part of the original 2014 upgrade, Technical Display installed 2no Sennheiser SZI-1015 infrared hard-of-hearing units into the main chamber. Unfortunately, over time, elements of the units started to fail, but the Unite hard-of-hearing system was a natural replacement.  The Unite system is tested to military-grade encryption and provides a completely secure solution for the client. It consists of the following:

  • 2no UNITE-RP-EU Bodypack Receiver, Euro, OLED
  • 1no UNITE-AP4-EU 4ch AP Transceiver, Euro
  • 1no TEL152 Lightweight Stereo Headphone
  • 1no UNITE-IL-200 Personal Induction Loop, 0.2 m cable length

The Outcome: An enhanced experience for all, with state-of-the-art equipment that will take the Council into the next generation

The client’s vision was to enhance the experience for its Councillors and the public that use the facilities by integrating easy-to-use, state-of-the-art equipment. The final installed solution provides all of this, with the first live Council session taking place in May 2024. It was a complete success!

All of the installed services were designed with a long-life intended, backed up with an annual “Service Level Agreement”, giving the client peace of mind at all times. Technical Display Systems is proud to work alongside and support Chelmsford City Council.

Recommended by the council, for other councils…

TDS has collaborated with us for over a decade, transforming our A/V technology. Ed and his team have provided solutions for our Council Chamber, meeting rooms, and Weddings & Events venue. TDS also met our A/V requirements during the recent refurbishment of our Theatre’s Front of House.

In addition to creating innovative solutions, TDS maintains our equipment with quick responses and excellent service. They understand the cost pressures we face as a Local Government Authority and consistently deliver creative solutions within budget, providing maximum value. I highly recommend TDS to other Councils

Gary Foulger | Chelmsford City Council