To consider the opportunities for virtual attendance at Committee meetings.

The Committee considered a report which sought Members’ preferred approach to virtual attendance by councillors at formal committee meetings. 

The Committee was reminded that webcasting had been introduced to some of the Council’s meetings as a way of encouraging residents and organisations to engage with meetings without the need to physically attend them.  It was also noted that the use of Skype had been trialled at the Council to enable officers to attend informal meetings virtually although, due to the technical issues, experience had been mixed.  In connection with this point the Executive Member for Corporate Resources emphasised that ICT was currently examining the options to implement a more stable, alternative, system of video conferencing and that it was hoped to provide Members with the ability to participate in informal Member/officer meetings using the adopted technology.

With regard to virtual attendance by Members at formal committee meetings of the Council, however, Members noted that, in order to be counted towards the quorum of a meeting and to be allowed to vote on a matter, a councillor was required, under the Local Government Act 1972 and as reflected in the Council’s Constitution, to be physically present at a meeting.  With this legal restriction in mind the Committee considered two possible options.  The first retained the established mechanism by which Members unable to attend a committee could arrange for a substitute to do so on their behalf and/or for written questions on issues to be submitted for consideration at the meeting, whilst the second posited allowing virtual attendance at meetings by Members in their role as ‘community leaders’, although not as a member of a committee.  With regard to the latter option the Committee noted the related implications, including the anticipated cost of the necessary IT infrastructure, staff training and requirement for attendance and operational protocols.

In response to a query the Head of Governance advised that a Member had raised the issue of virtual attendance by councillors at meetings as the result of that Member being unable to attend a meeting in person due to a prior commitment.

Discussion followed during which the possible advantages of virtual attendance by Members and officers at informal meetings, subject to the provision of reliable technology, were acknowledged.  However, a Member commented that the public expected to see the councillors it had elected attend formal meetings of the Council in person.  The use of virtual attendance at such meetings risked the diminishing of Members’ relationship with the public and a loss of public engagement.  He added that a schedule of the Council’s meetings was made available in good time so Members were aware of their commitments and could plan accordingly.  Further, should they be unable to attend, well established measures such the appointment of a substitute or the submission of written questions, could be employed.

RESOLVED

1          that Option 1 be adopted and virtual attendance by Members at formal meetings of the Council be rejected;

2          that support be given to the introduction of virtual attendance by Members at informal meetings when possible;

3          that support be given for the introduction of webcasting at all formal Council meetings.

(Note: Minute GPC/15/19 below also refers).