Agenda item

To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support.

To accept the report for information.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Support submitted a report updating the Council, following the approval of arrangements at the previous Council meeting on 8 July, 2021, to hold Council meetings in order to address the new requirements in Part 3 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.

The Head of Democracy Services elaborated on the progress of background work noting that, although the original timetable had slipped slightly, work to upgrade the Dafydd Orwig and Hywel Dda Chambers to hold hybrid meetings in future had now been completed.  He also noted that initial trials of the technology bode well but minor elements needed further attention.

Members were given an opportunity to make observations and ask questions.

A number of members referred to the advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid meeting system.

In terms of the advantages, it was noted that it would:

·         Reduce costs and travel time to meetings.

·         Reduce carbon emissions.

·         Facilitate the participation of all types of different people, namely people who work, disabled people, carers etc.

In terms of the disadvantages, it was noted that:

·         Members saw value in meeting on a face to face basis, and that they missed the conversation and sharing of experiences that occurred naturally before and after a meeting.

·         A virtual or hybrid system would change the dynamic of meetings and that it was not possible to recognise body language etc.

·         Joining a meeting remotely could be a lonely experience.

The following matters were raised by individual members:

·         The need to spend £130,000 on developing the hybrid system was questioned.  In response, it was explained that this amount was for the upgrade of 17 committee rooms across the county, and there was a need to ensure that we had a modern and reliable system in place. It was also noted that the majority of other councils faced the same level of costs.

·         As teachers and children were now allowed to go to schools, it was enquired why councillors were not allowed to go to the Chamber to meet on a face-to-face basis?  In response, it was explained that Welsh Government guidance was quite clear that we should work from home if possible, and until that guidance would change, it would not be possible to hold face-to-face meetings.

·         It was noted that the Senedd and Westminster Parliament already met in a hybrid manner and the need to move forward with arrangements in Gwynedd as soon as possible was emphasised.  In response, it was explained that Welsh Government had invested at a very early stage during the period, and that a large number of officers were working in the background.  In terms of the progress of technical work, Gwynedd was about half way among Welsh councils, but the sooner the trialling work etc. could be undertaken, the better so that we would be in a position to act sooner, rather than later, should Government guidance change.

·         Whilst accepting that the current Government guidance was for everyone to continue to work from home if possible, it was enquired whether we were truly aiming for a hybrid meeting or a face-to-face meeting of the full Council in March next year?  In response, it was noted that we had managed to hold virtual meetings effectively for 18 months, and as the number of Covid cases was increasing in our areas, there was a responsibility on us, as community leaders, to set an example until the situation had improved.

·         It was suggested that it would be possible for the majority of meetings to be hybrid, but the full Council and meetings where confidentiality is important, such as appointment committees, should be on a face-to-face basis.

·         In response to a question, it was confirmed that changes resulting from lockdown had enabled Council officers to learn a lot by holding a larger number of national meetings than ever before, and to have more of an influence than ever before by holding virtual meetings with the Government etc.

·         It was enquired how much savings in travel costs had been achieved since the start of the pandemic.  In response, it was confirmed that 2020-21 travel costs figures had been published on the website, and it was believed that the saving was close to £40,000.

RESOLVED to accept the report for information.