MORE than 6,500 hits have been recorded on Cheshire West’s online meetings since the start of the pandemic.

The council has been hosting meetings via its webcast portal since early May, with legislation allowing it to do so being passed in mid-April.

Thus far, roughly 50 meetings have been held online, and 32 have been streamed.

Cllr Louise Gittins, CWAC leader, said: “The benefits of online meetings has firstly been that democratic decision making and engagement has been able to continue safely during the pandemic. In addition, online meetings have allowed engagement on key issues regarding the pandemic through our Outbreak Board and Pandemic Scrutiny Committee.

“A key benefit that both elected members and those wishing to attend have noted is that by being able to log into the meeting anywhere there is more flexibility allowing attendance as there is no need to build in time travel to a specific venue. There is of course an environmental benefit too by participants not needing to travel across the borough to attend.

“Look out on the Cheshire West and Chester Council’s social media channels for information about when you can tune in to future webcasts on the Council website, such as the COVID-19 Outbreak Board which is interesting and informative.”

In all, 6,543 views were recorded on the 32 streamed meetings, with more than 60 members of the public taking part.

Committees have sat on such issues as planning, licensing and scrutiny — as well as council cabinet.

In addition, 25 groups, organisations and individuals have attended the pandemic scrutiny committee meetings to give evidence and a further 20 have attended task group meetings.