Issue - meetings

The Mayor took the opportunity to welcome Members to the remote meeting of Sefton Council and extended a special welcome to members of the public who were viewing the meeting online.  This meeting was being held using Microsoft Teams Live Events software.  A protocol for Members attending remote meetings had been circulated prior to the meeting and Members were respectfully requested to adhere to the protocol.

The Mayor advised all Members who were nominated Spokespersons to turn their cameras off and mute their microphones when not addressing the meeting. The Mayor also advised that any of the nominated Spokespersons who would like to address the meeting at any time should indicate by using the chat facility in Microsoft Teams and emphasised that the chat facility should only be used to indicate the wish to speak.

The Mayor further advised that all Members who were not nominated Spokespersons should turn their camera off and mute their microphone, and that they should only un-mute their microphone to confirm their attendance and to state how they wish to vote.  

The Mayor highlighted that during the meeting if she anticipated that an item was agreed, that she would ask Members if the item was agreed and that Members only needed to indicate any disagreement in the chat facility. Silence would be taken as an agreement.

The Mayor concluded by explaining that if any member indicated that an item was not agreed or it was clear to her that an item would not be agreed, a vote would be taken on the item. The vote would be taken by an officer asking each member in alphabetical order to indicate their vote. Members should turn on their microphones when it was their turn to vote but that there was no need to turn on their camera.