Council meetings resume in online format

Technology and democracy will be even more closely entwined when Armidale Regional Council meetings resume next week, with the monthly meetings to be held online.

The first online meeting will be held this Wednesday at 9am, after face-to-face Ordinary Council meetings were suspended as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Like our meetings in the Council chambers, community members will be able to watch the online meetings live on Facebook and Youtube, or view them at a later date,” Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray said.

“The online format will also continue to enable community members to have input on meeting agenda items. People who want to provide comment on items in the agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting are invited to submit their feedback in writing by 5pm on Monday.”

The agenda will be available to view on the Council Meetings page of Council’s website from this evening. To lodge a written submission about an item in the agenda, go to the Have Your Say tile on the Council website homepage and follow the links to Council Meetings. Ensure the submission clearly indicates the agenda item it is addressing.

Submissions will be added to the agenda prior to the meeting and available online.

“Council has received confirmation this online format for meetings will satisfy the requirements for Local Government meeting protocol,” Councillor Murray said.

“A number of NSW local governments are going down this path. Armidale Regional Council is very happy we can take this approach to ensure the democratic decision making process – along with our other Council activities – continues to function during COVID-19 protocols.”

Council cancelled its March meeting to protect the welfare of councillors – including a number of elected members who have compromised immune systems – Council staff and members of the community.

The organisation moved quickly to identify a way for Council meetings to proceed, while complying with COVID-19 social distancing requirements and addressing technical limitations because some councillors live in outlying areas of the region and have limited access to high-speed internet services.

Published on 17 Apr 2020