Meetings resume online for Cotswold District Council, as “Socially Distanced Democracy” is launched

Council members and officers have been using video conferencing for internal meetings but this Thursday’s Overview and Scrutiny meeting will be the first formal committee to be run using online video conferencing.

Key decisions at the council are taken in public meetings but such meetings do not currently meet social distancing guidelines. Moving meetings online allows meetings to take place publicly but safely.

The council will be holding the following meetings virtually over the coming weeks:

• Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 28 May 2020 at 4pm
• Cabinet on Monday 1 June 2020 at 6pm
• Council on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at 2pm
• Planning and Licensing Committee on Wednesday 10 June 2020 at 10am

Members of the public will be able to follow the proceedings through a broadcast on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/CotswoldDC/live

You do not need a Facebook account to access this.

Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of Cotswold District Council said: “Both staff and councillors have continued to support the delivery of services during lockdown. But a key part of the work remains decision making which largely happens formally in our committees, so I am delighted that we’re able to resume meetings in a way that meets social distancing guidelines.  

“For the next few meetings that means socially distanced democracy with meetings conducted online and streamed.  I look forward to having meetings in person as guidance develops. “

Councillor Stephen Andrews, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: “It is important for local democracy to get council meetings operating in a way that is as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

“Whilst we have not worked in this way before and these early meetings will be a challenge for those taking part in them, it is something that we must do so that there can be scrutiny of decisions made by the council both internally and by the public.”