Virtual council meetings to be held at Arun

The first meeting to be held in this way will be cabinet on Wednesday April 29 where the council’s response to the pandemic to date will be reported and emergency decisions taken by officers will also be confirmed.

The planned development control committee on Wednesday May 27 will also be held virtually.

The council intends 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.

The announcement comes after the Conservative group called for more clarity about the governance arrangements during lockdown.

The Tories have already backed a petition started by former Bognor Regis town councillor Jan Cosgrove calling for a unity administration at Arun.

Conservative group deputy leader Paul Dendle said: “What we need is the chief executive and Arun cabinet to work closely with us to work out the best way forward over the next few months.”

He suggested daily or regular dialogue with the Conservatives as he felt this would be an opportunity not only to receive updates on what the council was doing, but also have some input into plans to help businesses and residents affected by the lockdown.

Terry Chapman, leader of the Tory group, felt they needed to know when ‘we can pick up the natural rhythm of decision making’.

He added: “The present situation is understandable, this is a crisis, but there will have to be a time where all policy decisions are presented and debated by the full council, whether that’s by electronic means.”

Cllr Chapman also raised the impending switch from a cabinet to committee system in May 2021. He said: “The longer this emergency goes on the less time we have to work out the detail.”

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