Issue - meetings

Report by the Director of Law and Assurance.

The Committee is asked to consider the current arrangements for formal meetings as a result of the current public health emergency, including the new Standing Orders on Virtual Meetings and proposals for meetings to the end of July 2020, to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Governance Committee meeting on 22 June.

3.1        The Committee considered a report by the Director of Law and Assurance (copy appended to the signed minutes) on plans for meetings during the current public health emergency, the new Standing Orders on Virtual Meetings and proposals for meetings to the end of July 2020.

3.2     The Director of Law and Assurance introduced the report, highlighting the reasons for the proposals, and welcoming comments from the Committee about the new Standing Orders, the proposals including options for managing the list of pending notices of motion for Council

3.3     The Committee agreed it would be sensible to cancel the June and July County Local Committee (CLC) meetings.  It was also agreed to engage members informally regarding decisions, to be carried out through urgent action procedures, on Traffic Regulation Orders and Community Initiative Funding, the latter of which should be focused towards organisations providing sustainable support to communities and filling in identified gaps in the Covid-19 emergency response.

3.4     The Committee discussed a concern raised by Cllr Walsh about the Council’s lack of video technology for meetings. Cllr Lanzer advised that the Council is exploring the feasibility of videoconferencing options but it will take time to ensure the system is robust, secure and compatible with current IT systems, and can be satisfactorily accessed by home-workers.  Video conferencing uses a significant proportion of network capacity, and this must not interfere with the needs of operational activities.  However, the Committee noted that it is hoped to use Skype video from June.

3.5     The Committee discussed proposals for future full Council meetings and agreed that the next scheduled meeting on 17 July should go ahead.  Time should be allowed for debate on the Council’s handling and response to the Covid-19 emergency, including lessons learned.

3.6     The Committee also discussed a request by Cllr Walsh and Cllr M Jones for an additional full Council in June 2020 to demonstrate democratic accountability and to provide opportunity for an early debate on the Council’s response to the public health crisis and its impact on the area.

3.7     Cllr Walsh and Cllr M Jones also raised concerns about the three minutes allocated for Scrutiny Chairmen and leaders of the minority groups to speak at the monthly Cabinet meeting as being insufficient to address such complex issues.  The Committee noted that Cabinet meetings are a decision-making forum and all recent formal decisions were debated at the relevant scrutiny committees.

3.8     The Committee acknowledged the additional capacity required from staff to manage virtual meetings and also thanked staff who have been redeployment across the Council to respond to the Covid-19 emergency.

3.9     The Committee agreed with proposals to suspend the current member development programme, but noted that there are plans for an event about the budget and capital programme planning.

3.10   Cllr Walsh, seconded by Cllr M Jones, proposed that a meeting of County Council be held in June 2020 for the specific purposes of considering the Council’s response to the Covid-19 emergency and to allow members to ask  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3