Hucknall Councillor calls for online Council meetings due to spike in Covid cases

Hucknall Councillor John Wilmott has spoken out about the dangers of attending Nottinghamshire's Council Meetings as Covid figures continue to spike.

Councillor Wilmott was speaking at a meeting of Nottinghamshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee where he labelled meetings in County Hall as '…covid super spreaders.'

Government legislation at the start of the pandemic via the Coronavirus Act 2020 led to Council Meetings being allowed to be held online.

This changed in May 2021, when councillors were forced to meet face to face.

The Local Government Association have now moved all of their meetings online.

Councillor Wilmott, who represents Hucknall North for the Ashfield Independents, has called for Nottinghamshire's County Council leader and MP Ben Bradley to "…use his influence within Government to enable councillors to carry out their duty remotely."

Ashfield District Council has confirmed that they are looking to move all the meetings they can online. They are calling for the Government to move the primary legislation to enable councillors to meet and vote online just like during successive coronavirus lockdowns.

Councillor Wilmott told the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee: "I'd like to put apologies in for Councillor David Martin. Yesterday, Councillor Martin joined the 3 other members of his family in testing positive for Covid. Councillor Martin is asymptomatic fortunately and I feel that it is regrettable that his offer to join this meeting was turned down due to Government legislation.

"I myself have suffered from bronchitis over Christmas. I have had 5 PCR tests – fortunately they have been all negative. That said, I have had sleepless nights about coming into County Hall to face to face meetings.

"As a cancer survivor and because of my age – I fall into the vulnerable category. All my life, I have put civic responsibility ahead of myself and that is why I am here.

"The last person who told me that they put civic responsibility ahead of themselves was former Chairman of Ashfield District Council – Anthony Brewer who continued to put civic responsibility ahead of his own health concerns. Anthony sadly died of Covid – right at the start of the pandemic.

"Can the Chairman please write to the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council – to ask him to use any influence he has in Government to enable councillors to carry out their roles remotely.

"Covid super spreaders like council meetings like this need to end as we can still get the work done without putting council officers and staff at risk."