A plan for hybrid meetings at County Hall will be put on hold until the pandemic situation is safer.

At audit committee on Thursday (February 4) members discussed a council repletion that hybrid meetings be adopted “as soon as practicable, appropriate and safe” with an aim of having a limited number of councillors in the chamber for the March full council meeting.

With current lockdown restrictions asking people to work from home and avoiding unnecessary travel, having councillors coming into County Hall “sends the wrong message,” said Clr. Joshua Beynon.

This was echoed by committee chairman Clr. Paul Rapi who added “at the present moment in time we can’t entertain hybrid meetings because we are all in lockdown.”

The hybrid plan goes beyond Covid-19 and is a model for future meetings the committee was reminded, with the plan welcomed by members who highlighted the benefits of easier access and reduced travel.

It was agreed that when it was safe to do so, perhaps with fewer restrictions on the numbers allowed in the building, it would be a worthwhile system with committee chairmen and vice chairman, along with group leaders to have further discussions about priority for attendance.