Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
(1) MOTION 576 – (COUNCILLOR MRS N WOOLLATT – 14 OCTOBER 2021)
The Council had before it a MOTION submitted for the first time.
“Many councils and councillors across England have called for the ability to be able to attend and vote on line. Whilst we will always want councillors to be able to meet in person, there needs to be the provision for some members to be online, for example if they are vulnerable, self-isolating, have caring responsibilities or difficulties with transport. It is also in line with reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2030.
Our hybrid system of meetings are currently working well, but non-voting members attending online are not currently allowed to be recorded as having attended even though they can raise issues and contribute to the debate! Equally it would be very useful if voting members of a committee could have the flexibility to attend online if they find themselves in circumstances preventing physical attendance. This would help to reduce the risk of meetings not being quorate.
Northern Ireland recently agreed in its parliament to allow councils to meet and vote remotely, Wales and Scotland already allow this. England is being left behind.
Therefore:
This Council mandates the Leader to write to the new Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communitiesto call for parity across the UK and enable councillors in England to meet and vote on line as they see fit.”
The MOTION was MOVED by Councillor Mrs N Woollatt and seconded by Councillor A Wilce.
In accordance with Procedure Rule 14.4, the Chairman of the Council had ruled that the matter be discussed at this meeting.
Discussion took place regarding:
· Recent issues with meetings nearly being inquorate due to isolation, the fact that hybrid meetings were working well and that revised legislation would allow flexibility.
· The need to lobby Government so that England was in line with other nations within the United Kingdom with regard to holding public meetings remotely
· What could be done at a local level
· It would be up to the Government to amend the legislation to allow remote public meetings
· The need for guidelines, so that members did not just attend meetings remotely, there needed to be good reason for not attending in person
· Whether it was too easy just to stay at home and that this took away the importance of Council meetings
· A view that there was a need to get back to where we were pre pandemic
· The risk of attending public meetings when the virus was still apparent
· The ability to dial into a meeting would open up access to meetings and provide flexibility and would be good for the climate, emissions of travel and save money
· People’s lives have changed through the pandemic and that there was a need for flexibility
Upon a vote being takenthe MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.
Publication date: 29/10/2021
Date of decision: 27/10/2021
Decided at meeting: 27/10/2021 - Council