LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Government's face off is virtual insanity

Central Government has ruled out extending the power to have virtual council meetings beyond the 7 May deadline. There are suggestions some councils could revolt, says Heather Jameson – 'forcing local democracy to stay firmly in the 21st century'.

The past 12 months have seen a revolution in the way we all live, work and use technology, bolstered by the necessity of a pandemic. Councils that spent years encouraging reluctant workers towards remote working, hot-desking and paperless offices saw staff shift to home working within weeks of the first lockdown.

But it is not just staff. Council meetings that required reams of papers and a dedicated chamber have been transformed overnight, with online agendas and virtual meetings – kinder to the environment, the work-life balance and transparent for all to see.

Heather Jameson

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