Councillor's concern over ‘exceptional circumstances’ on remote attendance

The council’s strategy, policy and resources committee at the Downshire civic centre approved a recommendation this week for elected members to physically attend all statutory meetings unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.

Department of Communities (DfC) Minister Gordon Lyons (DUP) ordered councillors back to chambers in March, by winding up Covid legislation on remote attendance at local authority meetings.

New Stormont legislation now allows councils to decide for themselves on the use of online attendance, with NMDDC’s recommendation coming from a meeting of officers and party leaders, which did not include the sole UUP member on the council.

Slieve Gullion UUP rep, David Taylor said: “There is one point of clarity I am looking for and that is what is deemed as exceptional circumstances?

“Councils across Northern Ireland will be taking their own position on this and may be they are more open than what we are proposing.

“But just to get that bit of a definition on what is an exceptional circumstance, as I wouldn’t have been part of the party leaders discussion.”

Currently NMDDC operates out of two HQs, one in Newry and the other in Downpatrick with councillors stretched across an area of 1,634 square kilometres, which is largely rural.

Some NMDDC councillors previously called the end to hybrid meetings an “anti-family” and “undemocratic” policy.

Downpatrick SDLP cllr, Gareth Sharvin added: “To answer Cllr Taylor’s question, at the leaders meeting, the word exceptional was a challenge for a lot of us on the call.

“It is probably up to the individual may be to make a decision of what is an exceptional circumstance for them rather than the council dictate.

“I do still have an issue with the wording.

“There’s many circumstances in people’s lives with things such as organised child care suddenly becoming unavailable and they need to be at home to support the family.

“I do think that we may need to reconsider the wording of exceptional circumstances and how we display that.”

The recommendation at committee also states that those councillors in chambers will be given preferential speaking rights from those remotely attending to make the meetings “more manageable”.

Downpatrick Sinn Fein rep, Oonagh Hanlon said: “I know there is talk about what exceptional circumstances are, but we are all adults and elected reps to be here in chambers.

“We all have full time jobs and at time take holidays etc, so hybrid will allow democracy to continue in those situations.

“But, if you are online, you are actually going to be further down the line to come in to speak, because of the technical challenges.

“So, if you do stay at home for the next 12 months you are disenfranchising yourself.

“But, we can’t be prescriptive on this as everyone will have their own circumstances.”

The matter will go before full council for further debate and to be ratified later this month.