Department of Corporate and Community Services
Deputy Chief Executive: Caroline Innes BSc (Hons)
Council Headquarters, Eastwood Park, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, G46 6UG
Phone: 0141 577 3000
Fax: 0141 577 3834
website: www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Date:15 May 2020
When calling please ask for:
Eamonn Daly (Tel. No 0141-577-3023)
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

TO: Councillors T Buchanan (Chair); S Miller and P O’Kane.

EMERGENCIES COMMITTEE

A meeting of the Emergencies Committee will be held

on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 2.00pm.

The agenda of business is as shown below.

Caroline Innes
C INNES
DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVEAGENDA

1.Report apologies for absence.

2.Declarations of Interest.

3.COVID 19 – Actions – Report by Chief Executive (copy attached, pages3 - 36).

++++++++++++++++
You can read the Agenda/Papers here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=26326&p=0

------ Original Message ------
To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Friday, 15 May, 2020 At 15:49
Subject: Emergencies Committee on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 2.00pm - Public access/minutes

Hi Eamonn

There is to be a meeting of the Emergencies Committee on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 2.00pm.

Will this be able to be accessed 'live' and/or viewed subsequently by Residents/Council Tax Payers?

There is no Item on the Agenda to approve the minutes of the 14 May 2020 meeting.

When will these minutes be available?

You did not reply to the matter of public access to the proposed committee meetings below.

Keep well.

Thanks


------ Original Message ------
To: "Daly, Eamonn" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Wednesday, 13 May, 2020 At 18:24
Subject: RE: East Renfrewshire Council Emergencies Committee Meeting Thursday 14 May 2020 - Public access

Hi Eamonn

Thanks for this.

I am well.

Normal is that there is normally public access to committee meetings via the Public Gallery.

This access is being denied and the meeting held in 'secret'.

It is disappointing that ERC is lagging behind councils such as Renfrewshire regarding this technology.

I can still access and view the Renfrewshire Council site/videos

www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/10204/Emergencies-Board

It is not as if you and ERC have not been aware of this video technology.

It has been raised for use by Committees by Councillors/Residents many times over the past 2-3 years.

Again, it is disappointing that when it is actually needed and would be advantageous, there has been a distinct lack of foresight.

On the 14th May 2020 the East Renfrewshire Council Emergencies Committee will be meeting to discuss the return of full council and committee meetings allowing Councillors to take up their roles once again to scrutinise Council policies and decision making.

All meetings held will be virtual meetings until government guidance dictates otherwise.

I would appreciate if you will raise the matter of public access to these proposed 'virtual' meetings of


•Planning Applications Committee 10 June

•Education Committee – 11 June

•Council – 24 June

•Audit & Scrutiny Committee – 25 June


Would appreciate that you confirm that these meetings will be available 'live' (and for subsequent viewing) for East Renfrewshire Residents/Council Tax Payers on the current Council webcast platform and/or the current available video platforms as used by other councils such as Renfrewshire Council.

Keep well.

Thanks

------ Original Message ------
To: "Daly, Eamonn" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Friday, 15 May, 2020 At 16:28
Subject: RE: Emergencies Committee on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 2.00pm - Public access/minutes

Hi Eamonn

Thanks for this.

These are not normal times.

Why the secrecy?

There is no public access to these meetings.

I have no idea what transpired at the 14 May meeting.

I'm sure normal practice can be put aside during this emergency and the minutes published asap.

Would appreciate if you can let me know the reasons why 'normal practice' cannot be put aside and the minutes published asap.

Keep well.

Thanks


------ Original Message ------
From: "Daly, Eamonn" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Friday, 15 May, 2020 At 16:15
Subject: RE: Emergencies Committee on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 2.00pm - Public access/minutes

Thank you for your email.

As I mentioned in my previous email we are working to be able to record meetings and publish them.

This will be post-meeting publication.

Live viewing will not be available initially although the possibility of doing so is also being investigated.

At this stage I cannot give an assurance that the meetings in June will be recorded and published but I can assure you we are doing everything that we can to make sure this happens.

The meeting on 21 May will not be available.

So far as the publication of meeting minutes is concerned, normal practice will continue and the meeting minutes will be submitted to the meeting of the Council on 24 June.

We will be following the normal timescales for publishing papers for the meeting which will be available to the public at 3pm on Friday 19 June.

Yours faithfully
Eamonn Daly

Democratic Services Manager
Department of Corporate and Community Services
phone 0141 577 3023
email:- This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

"As I mentioned in my previous email we are working to be able to record meetings and publish them.

This will be post-meeting publication.

Live viewing will not be available initially although the possibility of doing so is also being investigated.

At this stage I cannot give an assurance that the meetings in June will be recorded and published but I can assure you we are doing everything that we can to make sure this happens."

Is Eamonn being economical with the truth?

Do we believe him?

Eamonn Daly, Clerk to the Council

The man who knows everything there is to know about the council web cast.

Yet according to his emails, he does not know how to deal with Zoom, or MS Teams, nor do the council IT experts.

He is unable to look at Renfrewshires Zoom on line, yet we all can.

Does it suit the Chief Executive (McMillan) and the three wise men (Buchanan, O'Kane and Miller) that the staff cannot allegedly work out modern technology?

How about we have Eamonn Daly sent on a course run by EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL

From: Business Gateway East Ren
Subject: Upcoming Live Webinars! 💻
Date: 17 May 2020 at 16:39:01 BST

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