Council meeting to be live-streamed for first time

Lambeth mayor Ibrahim Dogus, seen here at the African Caribbean War and Peace memorial in Brixton's Windrush Square
Outgoing mayor Ibrahim Dogus, seen here at the African Caribbean War and Peace memorial in Brixton’s Windrush Square, will report on his year in office at the online council meeting

Lambeth’s annual council meeting, usually at the town hall in Brixton, will tonight (22 April) take place online and, technology allowing, should be avilable for anyone to view.

The agenda, documents and code to view are available from the council website.

A new mayor of Lambeth will be elected at the borough’s first-ever virtual full council meeting.

The historic move has been agreed under the terms of the government’s Coronavirus Act 2020, which allows virtual council meetings during the crisis. The whole meeting will be live-streamed to the public through the council website.

Council leader Jack Hopkins said: “We’ve been working hard to minimise disruption to our services as a result of coronavirus, but some of our services have had to change in response to this unprecedented challenge.

“However, we also have a responsibility to keep council business going wherever we can, to reassure residents that important work is still being carried out.

“The changes introduced by the government ensure we can demonstrate that decisions are discussed and made in an open and democratic way.

“The annual council meeting is also a significant date in our calendar, where we look back on the last 12 months, and forward to the year ahead of us.

Philip Normal
Philip Normal

“We’ll also get the opportunity to thank our outgoing mayor, Ibrahim Dogus, and vote for his nominated successor, Philip Normal.”

The annual council meeting will start on Microsoft Teams at 7pm. Link to the event.

Paragraph 78 of the Coronavirus Act and Section 13 of the related regulations state that members of the public and press should be provided access to meetings through remote means, such as video conferencing and live streaming. This has been arranged via this link and on the council website.

Users new to Microsoft Teams, should use this link which should take you to your device’s app store, where you will be prompted to download the app or watch on the web instead.

Members of the public can join the event anonymously.