Streamed Meetings to Continue for West Norfolk Council

West Norfolk Council to keep streaming meetings online despite imminent return to chamber post-Covid lockdown.

22:10 04 May 2021

West Norfolk Council has confirmed plans to continue streaming their meetings online even if they are obliged to hold face-to-face meetings again starting the end of this week as per the recent High Court ruling. 

 

In order to ensure social distancing is observed, councils will have to hold their meetings at much larger venues than normal to accommodate both council members and the public. 

 

A borough spokesman said: “Several options are currently being considered as to where and how to hold borough council meetings.

 

“Covid control measures will be in place at the venue and we plan to continue to stream the meetings for members of the public to watch on our YouTube channel.”

 

West Norfolk Council started streaming their meetings online at the start of the pandemic to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

 

Restrictions on indoor gatherings are expected to further ease from May 17 under the latest review of the government's roadmap for existing lockdown. 

 

However, the National Association of Local Councils is not confident about going back to chambers for council meetings. It has urged ministers to act quickly this week to pass new legislation which the court rule was necessary to enable remote meetings to continue. They argue that face-to-face meetings present an unnecessary health risk.