Issue - meetings

To explain the impact of the emergency regulations produced by Government in response to the coronavirus pandemic on how Surrey County Council will run its committees.

Witnesses:

Paul Evans, Director - Law and Governance

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.     The Director introduced the report and provided a brief summary. Members noted that the protocol was created to ensure that decision making could continue during the lockdown and that the Audit and Governance Committee had been tasked to monitor the protocol. This report included details of the delegated decisions which took place following the council’s decision to temporarily delegate decision making. Following this, the Government issued new regulations which allowed committees to take decisions remotely and superseded the council’s interim arrangements.

2.     Members noted that Committee meetings had taken place using Microsoft Teams and that earlier difficulties with the software had been resolved, but some concern still remained. Members of the Committee thanked Democratic Services for their hard work to support virtual meetings.

3.     Members felt that public participation during virtual meetings would be a challenge.

4.     The Committee noted that any suggested amendments to the protocol should be sent to the Governance Lead Manager.

5.     The Chairman suggested amended recommendations for the Committee which were agreed.

Action/Further information to note:

None.

RESOLVED:

1.          The Committee received a report in conjunction with the new regulations and the letter from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to Local Government Chief Executives (annexes 1 & 2);

2.          The Committee understood that the regulations had superseded the council’s interim arrangements; and

3.          The Committee noted the decisions made under delegation in the period before the new regulations were enacted

4.          The Committee will continue to monitor any decisions made under the delegation approved at the meeting of County Council on 17 March 2020 alongside reviewing the way that remote committee meetings are working under the Remote Meetings Regulations.