Prior to March 2020, all Council and Committee meetings were held in the Council Chamber or Committee Room and all meeting participants and observers were required to attend in person. Audio recordings of each meeting were taken and uploaded to Rother’s YouTube channel the following working day. 

As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government temporarily removed the need for Council meetings to be held in person and, as such, all Council meetings had been held remotely using Microsoft Teams, the first meeting having taken place on 18 May 2020.  Since then, a full schedule of Council meetings had been held remotely using Microsoft Teams, the meetings were live streamed to Rother’s YouTube channel and links to the recordings placed onto Rother’s website, where they remained available to watch thereafter. The legislation allowing remote meetings was due to expire in May 2021.

Members were therefore asked to consider how Council meetings would be managed longer term, including continuation of the provision for members of the public to observe Council meetings online once they resumed in the Council Chamber. Subject to the extension of the applicable legislation, this could be expanded further to allow for remote participation from Members, staff and members of the public entitled to speak.

In 2018, Rother purchased microphones and an AV system for its Council Chamber. The proposal was to now expand on the investment in this equipment by purchasing hardware, software and support.  A three-year contract was proposed in the first instance and would require a budget of £70,000 to meet equipment and licencing costs for the period. The cost would be met through earmarked reserves and would ensure residents of Rother would continue to be afforded real-time access to Council meetings without having to travel into the Town Hall. As the pandemic continued, this would help Rother adhere to any and all social distancing regulations, by limiting the number of people present in the Council Chamber.

If legislation to permit remote participation at Council meetings was extended or granted in perpetuity, video conferencing could also be integrated into the Council Chamber. This would create opportunities for ‘hybrid meetings’ with some Members, staff and public speakers attending in person, and others attending remotely.  The Transformation Team had assessed whether they could develop this functionality in house. This was not practicable and therefore an external supplier would be required.

Offering opportunities for residents and Members to watch and participate in meetings online negated journeys to the Town Hall and reduced travel across the district. This contributed to the Council’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

RESOLVED: That: 

1)         all Council Meetings continue to be webcast once meetings resume being held in the Council Chamber;

2)         video conferencing be integrated into the Council Chamber to allow for hybrid meetings (subject to the extension of applicable legislation);

3)         a budget of £70,000 (to be allocated from earmarked reserves) be approved to procure the equipment and licencing for a three-year period; and

4)         the Head of Acquisitions, Transformation and Regeneration be granted delegated authority to enter into contracts as necessary for the completion of this project.