Waipā council meetings returned to Zoom this week with shift to level 2

Waipā Council meetings are proceeding both in person and online via Zoom. Photo / Supplied

Waipā council and committee meetings made a return to Zoom this week with the shift to alert level 2.

Increased restrictions are in place across the country after Auckland moved into alert level 3 and the rest of the country into alert level 2 last week following a resurgence of Covid-19.

The alert levels will remain in place until midnight on Wednesday, August 26 with a review of the restrictions on Friday, August 21.

Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest said in order to maintain physical distancing measures, only nine councillors or committee members would attend each meeting in person.

"The remaining councillors or committee members will join meetings via Zoom, allowing us to adhere to alert level 2 guidelines," says Jim.

"These meetings will be livestreamed to allow residents to watch online. Residents are also welcome to join us in council chambers but physical distancing and contact tracing measures will be in place."

A full council meeting will be held on Zoom and in council chambers on Tuesday, August 25 and livestreamed for residents to view.

Jim says council would be monitoring the situation over the coming weeks to decide how long meetings would continue to be held online and in person.

"If we move up alert levels then meetings will be carried out online only. However, if we move back to alert level 1 then we will explore resuming full face-to-face meetings in council chambers," says Jim.

Council meetings were first live streamed in March as the country entered the alert level 4 lockdown.

The practice was enabled by an amendment to the Local Government Act that allowed virtual meetings to meet quorum requirements.

Prior to the changes, quorum requirements meant at least seven councillors needed to be physically present in council chambers for a decision to be passed.

Meetings can be accessed via the agendas and minutes page on council's website at waipadc.govt.nz/livestream.

All recordings will also be saved on council's YouTube channel at youtube.com/user/WaipaDC/videos.