Coronavirus: Staying safe on the agenda as online meeting of Newark and Sherwood District Council could be a national first
In what might be a national first, a council is to hold a virtual meeting today at 2pm with officers making presentations and members joining in to debate and make decisions — all from home.
Newark and Sherwood District Council has placed remote working on the agenda to keep democracy alive in a time of lockdown.
Castle House, where the council is based, has been closed to the public and all but essential staff to help with safe-distancing and self-isolation to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Several of the committee members are aged over 70 and therefore in an at-risk category for catching the virus.
The public will be able to listen in today's meeting of the planning committee by logging in here
Members and officers will be able to see each other on the system being used by the council.
A spokesman for the council said it was important to find a way of convening meetings in the interests of keeping governance going, with decisions still needing to be made that affected people's day-to-day lives during the pandemic.
Only the planning and policy and finance committees will continue during the crisis with Thursday's policy and finance committee, again at the altered time of 2pm, to meet in the fashion.
The spokesman said it was a first for a meeting to be convened in this way since the council was formed under the Local Government Act of 1974, possibly a national first and something that other councils would undoubtedly be considering and watching with interest.
Applications that will debated this afternoon for planning consent are:
- 20/00275/FULM — residential development for 87 dwellings and associated works (resubmission of 19/01790/FULM) for land at Lord Hawke Way and Bowbridge Road, Newark, by the council's own development company, Arkwood Developments Ltd
- 20/00339/S73M — vary condition three attached to 17/01693/FULM to allow changes to building, minor changes to elevations and other substitute information to accommodate additional wellbeing facilities and associated offices, and revised landscape design at the Community and Activity Village, Lord Hawke Way, by Nottinghamshire YMCA
- 1902159/FULM — development of one temporary construction access point at land at Ollerton Road, Edwinstowe, by the Harworth Group Plc
- 20/00113/S73 — application to vary condition two to add an extension to approved dwelling, attached to planning permission 17/01839/FUL; demolition of shed and erection of one four-bedroomed house, at rear of 37 Easthorpe, Southwell, by Jason Templeman
- 19/02287/FUL — proposed single detached bungalow, at 9 Fisher Close, Collingham, by Mr N Smith
It also deals with an appeal of a decision to deny planning permission for a utility extension at Hall Close, Main Street, Hoveringham, which was refused by the committee, but granted by an independent inspector on appeal, subject to conditions.
The agenda for the meeting can be seen here.
You may also like...
216 confirmed coronavirus cases in Nottinghamshire
RSPCA launches emergency appeal to keep saving animals
Over 750,000 sign up to become NHS volunteers in fight against coronavirus
