Deborah Evans

Chief Executive

Virtual Meetings: Part 2

Response to covid 19

When things go wrong…..

John Austin

Chair

Information available

• LLG/ADSO guidance on remote meetings regulations

• LLG/ADSO model procedure rules (Standing Orders) and protocol

• LLG/ADSO Guidance - School Admissions Regulations 2020

• LLG/ADSO Guidance on Hybrid Meetings

• ADSO & LGA case studies

• LGA Coronavirus Hub

• Centre for Public Scrutiny support service and meeting etiquette guidance

• NALC/SLCC – advice and guidance

Remote meetings - 12 weeks on• Councils have responded well – adaptable & resilient

• Remote meetings becoming more ‘normal’

• Anecdotally – increased member attendance and more public participation

• More resource intensive – more officers, less meetings with (sometimes) a reduced number of members (close to quorums)

• Good preparation, testing and training/practice for members & chair are still key

• “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best”

Remote meetings - 12 weeks on • Technology – challenges met but still obstacles to

overcome• Councils often using more than one system to provide

live streams• What’s App/chat function used to communicate with

chair• Voting mainly by roll call• Public access – challenges- equality issues• Exempt sessions

Hybrid Meetings

• ADSO/LLG statement – available on websites for members –meetings are not lawful

• They do not meet the exemptions within the regulations

• Also involve gatherings indoors of 2 or more people

• Situation as things stand currently - it could change in the coming weeks

• Some Councils have held hybrid meetings - some may continue to do so

• Legality of decisions already taken

What does the future hold?

• Remote meeting regulations expire in May 2021• Discussions have taken place between LGA, ADSO, LLG

and NALC plus others – what should follow?• Option of lobbying Government for continuation of

some remote meeting provision• Organisations are canvassing views before deciding

whether to lobby

Jane Moore NALCLegal Services Manager and Senior Solicitor

Overview…

• Experiences so far – how have parish councils adapted to the “new normal” of virtual meetings?

• Challenges?• Looking to the future – up to May 2021 and beyond

What has been happening?

• Have PCs been meeting?

• General picture from counties and councils – yes!

• Overall experience is positive – view that public attendance is up, easier for county/ district councillors to attend, security concerns “mostly unfounded”, meetings quicker – less “waffle and grandstanding”, councillors with caring responsibilities more accommodated

• What about the more rural areas? Experience is that PCs have been meeting

• But some PC have not been - decisions have been delegated

What challenges have been faced?

• Factors depend on what councils have been doing:

• For PCs (in England) that have not been meeting-• Issues of vacation of office by failure to attend meetings and reasons

for absence not being approved within the relevant 6m period (S.85 of the LGA 1972). Where councils have been meeting, at discretion of the council as to whether to approve individual reasons

• For PCs that have been meeting-• Procedural – effective management of meetings (e.g. disabling chat

unless there is a moderator, co-hosts, muting when not speaking)• Technological – (e.g. benefits of large screen, two screens)

Looking to the future

• Hybrid meetings – what happens when/ if there is a return to in-person meetings before 7 May next year?

• Beyond May – evidence so far is that PCs would like to retain the ability to meet remotely. Recent county event for clerks - all voted to retain ability to meet remotely (bar two abstentions). Councillor experience generally similar

• Other views - principle of virtual meetings is good but lose ability to have other “side conversations”

• Influence of what central government does

Rachel McKoyLLG Deputy Vice President

Good Administrative Practice

Model Code of Conduct

Technology

Questions?

Policy & Guidance

LLG & ADSO Brief on Hybrid Meetings – now on website

LGA MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT – out for consultation

Coming Up:-

Social Media Guidance launch at next week's webinar

Legislation:-

The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 2) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020

The LLG Awards Ceremony is going virtual

2nd July 2020

COVID-19 Webinars

All webinars recordings, their supporting documentation and Q&A sheets are available on the LLG website.

LLG members can also join the new Coronavirus SAA, where you can keep up to date with the latest news, updates and information releases.

Join our training mailing list to receive details about future webinars.

Next webinar – 18th June – Remote Employment Tribunal Hearings

LLG On Demand TrainingAvailable Now:

• Real and Apparent Bias

• Challenges and Complaints with the LGSCO

• Coronavirus and Business Rates: The Legal Implications, Risks and Opportunities

• COVID-19 Weekly Brief: Reopening Schools - Understanding Liabilities, Responsibilities, and Practicalities

• The Impact of Coronavirus on Planning

• Social Media Part 1- The Use and Abuse of Social Media

• Coronavirus: Local Authority Enforcement and School Admissions Appeals

• The Impact of Coronavirus on Construction Contracts