Kentish Express Ashford & District
From County Hall to home video call
Kent County Council has held the first virtual planning meeting in the authority’s 132 year history.
The landmark session comes as coronavirus lockdown measures have prevented meetings taking place in the usual way.
Planning committee chairman Cllr Alan Marsh (Con) described the session as “strange” as he applauded the efforts of his colleagues during the public meeting last week.
He said: “Members have given resolute and first-class input into something that is at least strange to us and despite how it comes across, I do miss all of your faces and the interaction.”
However, Cllr Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem), a member of the planning committee, warned: “The plans discussed today were quite easy decisions to make, there will be some real tough ones to come in the future.”
KCC’s policy around planning meetings prior to the pandemic was to hold them at County Hall in Maidstone.
More than a dozen councillors and officers would debate the plans in the main council chamber while attendees could watch from the balcony of the public gallery.
No live webcasts were broadcast despite the county council having the technological capability to do so. This was, in part, because of the controversial nature of the public meetings being held by council chiefs.
However, the government has granted emergency powers for all councils to hold public meetings virtually amid the coronavirus crisis, including planning.
Before KCC’s first ever virtual planning meeting, it is understood that several rehearsals were carried out to ensure the session ran “smoothly”.
Eleven Kent councillors approved £12million plans to build a tunnel linking Bluewater to Ebbsfleet Garden City at Eastern Quarry where up to 6,250 homes will be built. They also backed the natural restoration of Tonbridge’s former quarry at Postern Park Farm into agricultural land.
Opposition councillors say they hope that planning meetings will return to County Hall but also want to see them webcast to the public once the pandemic ends.
After the meeting, Cllr Chittenden said: “There is a better feeling with the interactions of people taking part in the same room and it makes it easier for residents and businesses to have their say. But, I think webcasting is the way for the future.”
The next virtual planning meeting is scheduled for 10am on Wednesday, June 10.