Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services advising Members of the proposed roll out of the hybrid approach to meetings, including the provision of webcasting.

The Head of Democratic Services provided Members with an update in respect of the introduction arrangements to enable the broadcasting of committee meetings and the ability to operate through a hybrid approach.

Members were referred to section 4 of the report which presented a proposed phased roll out of the hybrid approach to meetings, which would initially prioritise Cabinet, Democratic Services, Planning and Development and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. Members were advised that the roll out would  include a number of ‘dress rehearsal’ sessions before using the equipment in a formal setting, the creation of user-guides for the different systems to be accessed, one to one training sessions with Members as well as a video tutorial. Members were advised of the resource implications on the Council Business Unit to support the running of hybrid meetings in the future.

The Head of Democratic Services provided Members with a range of practicalities that needed to be addressed in respect of hybrid meetings and spoke of the potential options for online voting systems, queuing systems for speakers and the covid safety measures that needed to be addressed for those Members that wished to attend a meeting physically within the Council Chamber. The Head of Democratic Services referenced a recent meeting taken forward with Group Leaders in respect of the roll out of hybrid meetings and the positive support provided for the proposed roll out.

The Chair thanked the Head of Democratic Services for the report and agreed that there were a number of practicalities that needed to be overcome before a successful meeting could be taken forward and spoke of the positive changes within the Council Chamber to assist in facilitating such hybrid meetings to take place. The Chair advised Members that the demonstration of the system for the Democratic Services Committee would be 1.30pm on the 20^th July and notification and diary markers would be circulated shortly.

The Vice Chair spoke of the need to ensure Members were sufficiently supported through training and the safety measures that needed to be in place for those Members wishing to attend a meeting physically including the provision of  lateral flow tests.  The Vice chair also referenced the work of the Council Business Unit in procuring and developing the system and thanked the team for the work achieved to date.  The Vice Chair commented upon the resource implications in respect of supporting each meeting which would need to be reflected in the Head of Democratic Services sufficiency and resources report.

Members commented on meetings going forward including aspects of the role of the chair, restricted numbers in physical attendance and the voting applications available for Members to pilot, with Members commenting that there may not be a ‘one size fits all approach’.

Members referenced the role out of the initial virtual meetings approach at the start of the pandemic and the support provided by the Council Business Unit to assist Members in undertaking their role.

A Member queried the start times of meetings going forward and the need for 5pm to accommodate the public. The Head of Democratic Services referenced the need to potentially change the commencement times of some meetings in the first instance to ensure sufficient support was available within he Council Business Unit and ICT to support the role out of hybrid meetings, although the usual 5pm commencement times would resume once Members and Officers were familiar with the new way of working.

Following discussions it was RESOLVED:

(i)             To Agree the proposed roll out of the webcasting system and hybrid approach to Committee meetings;

(ii)            To agree the proposed approach to training and demonstrations of equipment for each of the Committees in respect of the new systems within the Council Chamber

(iii)          To note the pilot of the Modern.Gov hybrid Voting App to provide an inclusive approach to voting for all Members attending a hybrid meeting.