Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were intimated from Councillors Devon, Forrest, Hardie, Kelly, MacMillan, McGrigor, McNeilly, Morgan, E Morton and Provost Scoullar.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Members were asked to suspend standing orders with particular regard to Standing Order 2.3 to dispense with the requirement for notice 7 days before a meeting of the Council; Standing Order 5.4 - the Member who is presiding at the meeting must do so from the specified location for the meeting and cannot join by video conferencing and Standing Order 7.1 - Every meeting of the Council, its Committees, Sub-Committees and Short Life Working Groups will be open to the public, except in specified special circumstances.

The requisite two thirds of Members present agreed to suspend Standing Orders 2.3, 5.4 and 7.1 to enable discussion of the report on Coronavirus COVID-19.

Report by Chief Executive

The Council considered a report which highlighted the need for the Council to take steps to reduce risks for its Members, staff and citizens arising from Coronavirus (COVID-19, to ensure that the Council was able to continue to exercise its essential functions. The report further set out a process which will deliver business continuity during this extraordinary period.

Decision

The Council:-

1.     Noted the existing emergency powers available to the Chief Executive, and agreed the widening of the associated consultation provisions specified at paragraph 4.1.1 of the report.

2.     Agreed the temporary arrangements for conducting Council business set out in section 4.2 of the report and

3.     Noted the position regarding public access to meeting as per paragraph 4.2.7 of the report.

(Ref: Report by Chief Executive dated 25 March 2020, submitted)