Video and phone votes begin at council meetings

COUNCILS across England are now able to hold public meetings using video or telephone conferencing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Legal requirements to hold public meetings in person have been relaxed by the Government from today. This aims to allow councils to maintain transparency in making decisions on key services, while also stopping the virus spreading.

Laws stopping by-elections, local polls and referendums being held before May 6, 2021 are being drawn up, with local, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections already postponed until next year.

Local government secretary Robert Jenrick says the move will work alongside the £1.6bn extra funding that councils have received.

He said: “Councillors and staff are already doing the right thing by following our advice to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.

“This includes working from home wherever possible, and the new powers to hold meetings virtually will make that easier.

“It’s critical that they continue to provide essential services and find innovative ways to maintain important economic functions they perform, like the planning system, and they will now be able to do so.”

All public authority meetings are covered, including annual meetings, cabinet and scrutiny committees.

The public accessibility requirement remains, but each authority must decide how they conduct meetings and how voting will work.

Coun James Jamieson of the Local Government Association said the new powers were ‘crucial’ in allowing councils to continue to work ‘tirelessly’ during the crisis.