Earlier this week I attended an actual meeting at Teignbridge( Overview and Scrutiny) I took the opportunity to say that I strongly objected to being there in person.
Over the last 12/18 months we have had to get used to virtual meetings. Virtual meetings IMO have been a success and should be continued.. Technology will continue to improve and should be encouraged.
It isn’t just that virtual meetings are safer for health reasons( which clearly they are) and the health of officers, the public and councillors must be of paramount importance, but as technology improves we should embrace it. There are various very good reasons for advocating virtual meetings over actual, and I would be advocating virtual even if we had not experienced the pandemic…. a huge saving in time( avoiding travel); money, and perhaps most important, carbon emissions. If our government is serious about climate change then surely they should be doing all in their power to support measures which reduce carbon emissions.
However, this government in yet another stupid act, has ordered councils to meet in person( though you will know of course that parliament continues to meet virtually for much of its work….again, one law for us and one for them)
Actual meetings should currently be avoided if at all possible, and zoom or equivalent used. As infection rates rise in Newton Abbot virtual meetings should be encouraged in all facets of life.