Members of Caerphilly County Borough Council have voted against allowing remote attendance at the meetings, meaning councillors will continue to attend meetings in person rather than use video conferencing technology.
Statutory guidance from Welsh Government states that it is up to each local authority whether it wishes to make remote attendance available.
During a full Council meeting on Tuesday June 10, members followed officers’ recommendations that remote attendance at meetings should not be implemented.
Councillors agreed the county borough’s relatively small geographic area and good road and rail links meant they did not face the same “geographical challenges” as rural authorities.
Remote accountability remains.
Quite agree, Realist. A motion immediately triggering a vote a firing the current councillor if the councillor misses three meetings without an excellent excuse i.e. rushed into hospital, would go down a treat. It would improve attendance too, especially if the councillor was barred from re-standing.
If this measure is to cut costs,and nothing to do with the democratic process, then it may have some merit, but, then again if is were to save costs there is simpler method. It has recently been reported that the Cabinet System prevents all other Councillors, except Cabinet Members, from undertaking their democratic responsibilities of debate and making informed decisions of issues of public interest on behalf of ratepayers, that being the case, why are the remaining 50 or so Councillors there at all??????