COUNCIL meetings are to resume in Woking, with committees using video conferencing technology.

The virtual meetings, hosted via Zoom, begin with the Planning Committee tonight (12 May) at 7pm.

Public participation at the meetings is limited to people who have been invited and with a registered interest in the meeting, such as planning applicants. Once the invited contributor has finished speaking at the meeting their Zoom connection ends. They can resume watching the remainder of the meeting via the council’s webcasting facility.

“A lot of hard work has taken place behind the scenes to set up virtual meetings. We have hosted mock meetings to test the technology and the ability of councillors and invited participants to interact from home,” said Cllr David Bittleston, leader of Woking Borough Council.

“The new regulations have enabled council officers to set up new, agile working practices which support the democratic process and continue our efforts to deliver the everyday and revised services affected by the current coronavirus pandemic.”

Members of the public will be able to watch meetings live, or on demand after the meeting has taken place, via the usual webcasting function available on the council’s website.

The calendar of meetings previously published for 2020 to 2021, with the exception of the Annual General Meetings scheduled for 21 May 2020 and 1 June 2020, will take place as scheduled – see https://www.woking.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-committees

With local elections deferred until May 2021 by the Coronavirus Act 2020, all existing councillor appointments remain in place until the next election, including political membership and roles of the borough’s Executive, committees, task groups and working groups, as well as all appointments to external bodies.

The current mayor, Cllr Beryl Hunwicks, and deputy mayor, Cllr Saj Hussain, will remain in office for another municipal year.