Derby councillors may be able to attend meetings while at home
Councillors in Derby say any plans to allow them to attend council meetings and vote remotely should not be allowed for “high level” proceedings. The Government has carried out a consultation to “seek views on the detail and practical implications of allowing remote and hybrid attendance and proxy voting at local authority meetings in England”.
This in effect means that, if plans are approved, Derby city councillors could be able to observe and take part in a meeting at their home - without having to be there in-person. This just doesn’t affect Derby but all councils across England.
The Government says allowing this can provide “broad flexibility” and will have “dual positive impacts of diversifying the representation of those willing and able to stand for elected office and enhance the resilience of local authorities in the face of local or national emergencies”.
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Derby City Council has recently responded to the consultation saying high level meetings should be protected to be in-person only but there would be room for it to be tried and tested at lower-key meetings.
The authority stated: “Councillors and officers agreed that remote attendance was more suitable for certain types of meetings than others. For example, it was agreed that some protection should be afforded to meetings of Full Council, as a forum for in-person debate and a visible demonstration of accountability to local electors.
“By contrast, the proceedings of an Overview and Scrutiny committee may be more suitable for online attendance, given that discussion is more organic and less procedurally focused.
“It was felt that if remote attendance was limited to exceptional circumstances only then the benefits cited in this consultation about encouraging wider representation are unlikely to be fully realised. However, the council would not wish to see local authority meetings being predominantly conducted online.”
The council was asked what proportion of the council’s current elected members are likely to seek to attend council meetings remotely over the course of a year. It responded “more than 50% but less than 90%”.
At a corporate services meeting held last week, Labour councillor Martin Repton was in agreement with the plans. He said: “I think these are sensible and relatively minor adjustments for the 21st Century.
“I think we’ll still make sure that we fulfil our democratic responsibility. For like licensing and planning (meetings), it is common sense that you have to be there, you can’t do it remotely.”
After the meeting Liberal Democrat councillor Ajit Atwal told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he did not support the idea of councillors attending meetings from home or the idea of proxy voting - where a member may delegate their voting power to a representative, to enable a vote in absence.
He said: “It’s not a good idea and it doesn’t sit right with me. For main meetings I feel everybody should be present – this is what our residents expect on their behalf. Where do you draw a line on what is a serious reason or not serious (to attend remotely).
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“I think we are trying to fix something that isn’t broken. For main meetings you should be present, if you can’t make it then you make apologies beforehand.”
Conservative councillor Matthew Holmes said he felt full council meetings or “high level” proceedings such as a budget meeting should not be allowed to be held remotely but said there maybe a place for it at other meetings.
And Councillor Lucy Care said: “I think meetings tend to be better in-person. For apologies you don’t have to give a reason but I think the reason should be declared if you are watching from home or elsewhere. It is in the Government’s hands so I can’t say (what will happen) but there are two sides to it.”
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