Council to start gradual return to public meetings
Date: 15 September 2021
Orkney Islands Council is set to start holding some of its meetings in public again from 1 October, following consideration of the issue at today’s Special General meeting.
Councillors at the meeting heard that from 1 October, the Council will no longer be able to exclude the public from meetings of the Council, its committees and sub-committees for Coronavirus related reasons, an emergency measure put in place by the Scottish Government shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Councillors agreed meetings should resume in the Chamber for meetings with 23 or less attendees physically present in the Chamber, and five persons in the public gallery, which allows for 1m physical distancing to be maintained.
This means many of the Council’s committees and subcommittees will meet in the Chamber from 25 October - the start of the next Committee cycle – with limited public attendance available in the gallery too.
However the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee and Full Council meetings – which involve all 21 Councillors, plus a number of officials – will continue to be held via Teams for now, with live audio stream of all council meetings which are held on Teams from 1 October 2021.
The option of ‘blended’ online and in-person meetings was also considered, noting the likelihood that some attendees will have the need or preference to continue meeting online.
However Councillors heard that the equipment in place in the Chamber is not currently suitable for blended meetings. Councillors agreed that the technological equipment in the Council Chamber be upgraded to facilitate blended meetings, at a cost of £15,000 to be met from the Capital Fund. It was noted that, due to the difficulty in obtaining equipment nationwide that installation in not likely before early 2022.
Members also agreed that, where attendance is anticipated to exceed the maximum numbers permitted in the Council Chamber, powers be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant Chair and Vice Chair to determine on a case-by-case basis whether the meeting should be held virtually on Microsoft Teams or in person.
Additionally, in the event that the Scottish Government Guidance becomes more restrictive again, Councillors agreed powers be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Convenor and Council Leader to revert to remote attendance for Council meetings and Committees.
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Category:
- Covid-19