Remote only meetings to continue for 6 months more

Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council is reviewing its meeting arrangements and considering the most efficient use of resources for the Democratic Services Team, according to a paper presented to the council.

The paper provides background information on the previous meeting arrangements and highlights the workload of the Democratic Services Team, as well as the tasks identified in the council's 5-Year Strategic Plan.

In October 2022, the council made the decision to fund additional hours per week for the Democratic Services team to support hybrid meetings. The number of meetings in the chamber was reduced, with some committees being held online only, while others were a hybrid of online and in-person. The arrangement was extended for a further three months in January 2023, and during this time, participants in meetings adapted well to the opportunities provided by remote access.

The current meeting arrangements are as follows: Strategy & Corporate Projects, Economy & Environment, and Resources Committees are hosted online only, while Services Committee and Council are hosted both online and in-person in the Council Chamber.

It is important to note that the law now requires formal council and committee meetings to be accessible remotely, and in-person-only meetings are unlawful.

The Democratic Services Team has identified several tasks in the council's 5-Year Strategic Plan that relate to compliance, policies, and good practice. These tasks will increase the workload of the team, and dedicating additional hours to support in-person meetings in the chamber could pose a risk to achieving these tasks.

In light of this, the Town Clerk has made a recommendation to continue the temporary meeting arrangements. The default for committee and subcommittee meetings would be 'remote only' unless there are exceptional practical reasons why this cannot be achieved. For example, Services Committee meetings have been held both online and in-person due to technical access issues faced by some members. Full Council meetings would continue to be held as hybrid meetings, allowing for both online and in-person participation.

The Town Clerk recommends that the format for each committee be confirmed as soon as possible, and the position be reviewed in six months in relation to the progress made with the tasks identified in the 5-Year Strategic Plan. The aim is to make the most efficient use of the Democratic Services Team's resources to support the ambitions of the plan and remote access to meetings.

The council will carefully consider these recommendations and make a decision regarding the meeting arrangements, taking into account the workload of the Democratic Services Team and the priorities outlined in the 5-Year Strategic Plan.