Introduction
The implementation of COVID-19 social/physical distancing measures resulted in councils:
- sending most staff to work from home, where that was practical;
- closure of non-essential facilities;
- withdrawal of non-essential services and programs/activities; and
- cancelling/postponing events and gatherings.
Virtual Meeting Laws
Most States considered enabling councils to take a step towards becoming digital organisations by adopting new legislation that provided for virtual council meetings. As various councils made arrangements to meet online during these extraordinary times, some disenfranchised their community.
Disenfranchised Communities
Inflexibility of some online meeting platforms and lack of technical knowledge led to some councils leaving the community out of their meeting processes. While this may be argued away in the short term, due to the emergency nature of the situation, it needs to be promptly addressed and community participation returned.
Some vocal communities have formally complained to the responsible Minister/Department about their Council’s missteps. Councils have been encouraged to restore democracy/community participation by returning to holding public meetings.
Some Councils from all over Australia moved their meetings into recreation centres and other larger venues to enable the conduct of public meetings while practising social/physical distancing.
COVID Safety Plans
It would be appropriate for councils to develop COVID Safety Plans for the return of public meetings. There are many things to consider including:
- management of community participation including registration and screening (asking of questions and making deputations);
- social/physical distancing; and
- application of participation limits per venue.
Meeting Procedures
Councils have formal meeting procedures in place that prescribe amongst other things the nature of community participation including:
- access to meeting agenda;
- process for asking questions and making deputations; and
- access to meeting minutes.
These meeting procedures would never have provided for the current pandemic requirements/physical distancing nor virtual meetings and therefore need to be reviewed and modernised for the New Normal.
The New Normal
There are many reasons why our elected members and community may not be able to attend a council meeting. As we move beyond COVID-19, the New Normal must include online meetings and/or remote access to meetings. It is one of the few positives that has emerged from the disruption of COVID-19.
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