Hucknall councillor 'cannot justify' plans to spend £437,000 on new meeting technology at Nottinghamshire County Council

Plans for Nottinghamshire County Council to spend more than £400,000 to improve the quality of virtual meetings from the council chamber have been criticised by a Hucknall councillor.
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Coun Dave Shaw (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall West at County Hall, said he could not justify the cost when he is supporting young people in his ward to access food

Council documents state that the current equipment, which was approved before the pandemic struck, is ‘outdated and unsuitable’.

The authority proposes to spend a total of £437,341 on new equipment, including large, mounted wall displays to allow officers to attend meetings virtually while tracking cameras would be installed to focus on councillors when they speak.

Hucknall councillor Dave Shaw feels the council is spending too much on new technology for meetingsHucknall councillor Dave Shaw feels the council is spending too much on new technology for meetings
Hucknall councillor Dave Shaw feels the council is spending too much on new technology for meetings

The plans got a divided response at meeting of the council’s economic development and asset management committee on January 25 where six councillors voted for the plans, two against and three abstained.

Speaking against the plans, Coun Shaw said: “This is an awful lot of money, it is way beyond what I was expecting for a microphone, a TV stand and internet connection.

“I am having to support young people in my division to feed them.

“I cannot justify spending this on internet connection.”

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But Coun Keith Girling (Con), committee chairman said the plans were ‘about democracy’ and will ‘hold councillors to account’.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “At the full council meeting we had 70 people watching the live stream.

“The quality and standard of the live streaming is not sufficient at the minute to see and hear councillors debating.

“It is very difficult for councillors to contribute, which is also important.

“People deserve to see how their councillors behave in a council meeting, that is an added bonus.

“We have saved more than a million pounds on expenses claims during the pandemic for travel.

“It’s really important, especially when you are looking at social services and adult social care, that the quality of those conversations can be understood and heard.”

“It is not a couple of microphones and internet connection, it is a lot of equipment.

“It is bringing us into this century.

"This is about openness, transparency and democracy and anybody that doesn’t think we should be doing that, I worry about, to be frank.”

Coun Kate Foale (Lab) said: “We’ve all experienced meetings in this chamber where the kit hasn’t really worked, it is very difficult.

“The big concern is that it is an awful lot of money.”

Coun Roger Upton (Con) added: “I don’t personally think £437,000 or thereabouts is a massive amount of money given the context of this authority and its budget.

“I can’t see half the time, I can’t hear half the time. If it doesn’t change I won’t be coming back in four years time.”

Documents state the costs will be fully funded from a Covid funding grant.

Documents state £335,269.53 would be spent to improve equipment within the council chamber and the Rufford Suite, while a further £102,072.20 would be invested to provide technology in committee rooms B and C.

The plans will now be discussed by the council’s finance committee.