Staffordshire councillors have say on remote attendance at meetings
County and town councillors in Staffordshire have responded to the news they could once again be allowed to attend meetings remotely as part of proposed changes being considered by the Government.
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During the Covid pandemic temporary legislation allowed councils to hold virtual meetings online, with members able to make decisions without being physically present in the same room, in order to control the spread of coronavirus.
The regulations, which came into force in April 2020, ended in May 2021 and were unable to be extended. Since then council meetings have returned to physical locations, with members having to be present to take part in votes and decision-making.
But in recent weeks the Government has held a consultation on allowing remote attendance and proxy voting – allowing a councillor present at a meeting to vote on behalf of another councillor who is absent – at council meetings in England. The consultation ends on Thursday, December 19.
Staffordshire County Council has put forward a response to the consultation. Members of Stone Town Council also considered the proposals at their latest meeting.
The county council’s response, included in the report to this month’s full council meeting, stated: “Staffordshire County Council welcomes the principle of being allowed to set its own arrangements for attendance and participation at committee meetings. That said, we do not support the principle of remote attendance at formal meetings, especially for decision making committees and those with quasi-judicial powers.
“On the matter of proxy voting, SCC believes that predetermination issues with proxy voting could potentially arise when a councillor’s vote is delegated to another member, potentially leading to concerns about the integrity and independence of the decision-making process.”
Stone Town Council did not support proxy voting. Members felt the number of councillors attending meetings remotely should be restricted to no more than a third of those present and the move should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.
Councillor Jonathan Powell said: “For me there would have to be a caveat for someone to be remote if they are unwell or have mobility issues.”Councillor Ian Fordham said: “I do worry we could lose coherence if some people were to be remote.”
