Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting date: Friday, May 15, 2020

Official Report 549KB pdf

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning. Welcome to the 12th meeting in 2020 of the Local Government and Communities Committee. I ask everyone to ensure that their mobile phones are in silent mode. I thank all members for their attendance, and I thank the broadcasting office for all its hard work in setting up our first remote formal meeting.

It is important that the committee is able to fulfil its important role of scrutinising the Government’s response to Covid-19 in these challenging times. We pay tribute to all local government staff, charities and volunteers for their continued dedicated service and hard work in supporting communities and, in particular, the vulnerable.

Agenda item 1 is consideration of whether to take agenda items 3 and 4 in private. Item 3 is consideration of the evidence that will be heard today on Covid-19, and item 4 is consideration of our work programme. I also take the opportunity to ask whether, for the time being, members are content to agree to take all future work programme discussions in private. I will simply ask whether anyone objects to that; if there is silence, I will assume that members are content. That is how I propose to deal with all routine public decisions during virtual formal meetings.

As no member objects, we agree to take those items in private.