It has been a while since the full council met in Edinburgh, but there is a plan to convene the whole council of 62 councillors in a virtual meeting.
Councillors have agreed today that the council will meet on 30 June 2020 and also on other dates in July and August.
This will perhaps answer some of the critics who say that local democracy is not being met during the coronavirus pandemic. Councillors do not usually meet in July but in light of the pandemic it is clear that there is much work to be done at local level and an additional meeting will be held then.
The councillors will have to be trained in using Microsoft Teams which is the council’s preferred medium. Councillors are being given recommendations of using their council laptops and a headset for better sound quality.
We think its is not quite the same as a council meeting where all councillors can be seen from time to time in the Chamber. At any one point only five or six participants can be seen, and while votes are made by roll call – and so we can find out who is actually in attendance – it is not quite the same as a meeting in the City Chambers.
All the council meetings taking place right now are being webcast.
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