Teignbridge councillors are pressing for a reversal of the Government's order to resume real-life, in-person meetings, so that they can meet via Zoom again.

Cllr Gordon Hook, a former leader of the council, said he would like to see Teignbridge leading the way 'to achieve this sensible proposition'.

Speaking at the district overview and scrutiny committee today (Tuesday, July 13), Cllr Hook (Lib Dem, Buckland & Milber) said that 'irrespective of coronavirus' they should ask the government to allow the return of remote meetings.

Legislation introduced at the start of the pandemic allowed local councils to hold virtual meetings, but the temporary arrangement ended in May and they must now meet in person again. Most councils, including Teignbridge, are still streaming most meetings for the public and press.

Cllr Hook said: "Surely the health of officers, councillors and the public, and anybody that strays into this building should be paramount?

"However, putting all that to one side, I would still be advocating a permanent change in our meeting arrangements on numerous other sensible grounds.

"As technology advances, and necessity being the mother of invention – it certainly has in recent months – we should as appropriate, embrace it and adapt.

"I put it to all members that we should be using Zoom, or equivalent, irrespective of coronavirus. If coronavirus did not exist but the current technology did, I would still be advocating the use of Zoom for our meetings."

He pointed to the benefits of virtual meetings, in terms of saving time and money and being better for the environment, and added: "I accept that some of the formal occasions, the annual council meeting for instance, can and should be actual, but the vast majority can be virtual. I would like to see Teignbridge leading in the national movement of local authorities to achieve this sensible proposition."

What did other councillors think?

Chairman of the committee, Councillor Phil Bullivant (Conservative, Bradley ward), called the suggestion 'extremely sensible'.

Councillor Stephen Purser, who is not a member of the committee but spoke via Zoom as a member of the public, said he 'fully supported' the idea.

But later in the meeting, Councillor Terry Tume (Conservative, Teign Valley) expressed a warning about online meetings, and said care was needed not to build a 'digital barrier'.

The committee agreed to recommend to the council's executive that they should encourage the Local Government Association, the area's local MPs and the government to change the legislation.