First virtual meeting online of North Kesteven District Council held today

Members of the public played their part by listening in live to the meeting, which had been set up just three weeks after lockdown.

The council says it has embraced this new way of working in order to overcome the challenges posed by the need to avoid the spread of coronavirus, as the authority continues to provide essential services, and to ensure residents can witness local democracy in action during this unprecedented time.

The remote meeting of Council today (Thursday) followed the cancellation of all meetings scheduled for March and much of April to help halt the spread of the pandemic. 

Prayers to commence the meeting were also recorded by Rev Philip Johnson and uploaded to Youtube for viewing. Items on the agenda included the approval of remote meeting protocol during COVID-19 and the appointment of an Independent Person for Standards.

All political groups had agreed to reduce the number of members on committees and panels to help the technology cope, but the suggested political balance of the council’s two planning sub-committees, as set out by officers according to local government regulations, was challenged by Opposition Leader Coun Marianne Overton as leaving her group under-represented.

Instead of having 11 members on the two sub-committees, she said there should be 12, made up of six NK Administration group, five NK Independents and one unaligned member - to make it democratically correct. She said as these sub-committees impacted on people’s lives it was important to be seen to be entirely correct. It was about proper representation that could be supported by everyone.

Some members of the executive board objected to the suggestion reminding Coun Overton that the planning committee is expected to make non-political decisions.

Coun Ian Carrington said members from all sides of the chamber had been pulling together at this time to get things done: “In a national emergency requiring us all to pull together, anyone who does not will will be harshly judged.”

Leader of the Council, Richard Wright said he hoped this debate did not overshadow the tremendous work that has been done by the council staff to reach this point to enable business to continue.

He said officers had already spent “far too long” on preparing this report to make sure the system will work and said it should not be challenged.

Coun Wright went on to claim that Coun Overton had spoken to him on the phone in days prior to the meeting and had suggested that he make the amendment and she would then back it in a show of support for his leadership.

“I have no problem with sticking with the paper as it stands.”

The originally recommended balance of members was then agreed - six NK Administration members, four NK Independents and one unaligned.

Coun Richard Wright said after the meeting: “Our first virtual, remote council meeting, held today, is a really significant milestone and we’re proud to have shared this moment of NK history in the making with residents and the public listening live via our website.

“Over the last few weeks the council has transformed into a largely virtual network as we’ve worked hard to continue providing essential services in our istrict, serve our residents and care for our communities together in the face of

Coronavirus. The ability to hold remote meetings is a real positive among all the challenges the virus has and continues to pose.

“I’d like to thank all those who’ve worked so hard behind the scenes to enable virtual meetings to take place, particularly the colleagues in our IT and Democratic Services teams.

“We’ll be holding further meetings in this way with details published on our website in due course.” 

Government has granted councils these new powers to hold public meetings virtually, using technology including electronic, digital, virtual locations and telephone conferencing. 

The council says committee membership changes are in accordance with political balance requirements and will continue to ensure constituents are represented appropriately.  

The authority plans to run further virtual meetings over the coming weeks, including planning and licensing sub-committees. Further information on these will be published at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk

North Kesteven District Council chairman Coun Susan Waring said: “Today’s virtual meeting of council – our very first held in this way - is proof that by working together and finding solutions as one, the difficulties posed by coronavirus can be overcome. It’s a significant moment not just for us at North Kesteven District Council but for all those we serve in our district.

“I’d urge our residents and communities to continue listening in live via our website, as we hold further meetings in this way, and witness this brand-new method of local democracy in action.”

A recording of today’s council meeting will be made available via the website and the council’s social media channels.