Arun District Council will use newly introduced powers to hold virtual meetings with public access during the current public health emergency. The first meeting to be held in this way will be Cabinet on 29 April 2020.
On Thursday 2 April the Government issued regulations to temporarily remove the legal requirement for local authorities to hold public meetings in person.
Officers and Councillors are preparing to hold a virtual meeting of the Cabinet on 29 April 2020 at 5pm, where the Council’s response to date to the coronavirus pandemic will be reported, confirming those emergency decisions taken by officers in line with the Officer Scheme of Delegation.
The planned Development Control Committee on Wednesday, 27 May 2020 will also be held virtually.
We intend to live-stream both meetings and new procedures will be announced as soon as possible about how members of the public will be able to exercise their rights under Public Question Time at Cabinet, and through Public Speaking Rules at the Development Control Committee.
Agendas will be published following the usual rules of five clear days before a meeting on the Council’s website.
Arun District Council will explore how to use the new legislation to manage essential business while councillors are unable to meet in person. Arrangements for future meetings will be shared as it becomes available.