Alliance Councillor Lauren Gray has said she is extremely disappointed Mid and East Antrim Borough Council won’t resume virtual Committee meetings until August – with a lack of clarity remaining over when all meetings will return.

The Council has already resumed full Council meetings, agreeing to an earlier Alliance push to get these up and running. Councillor Gray said while she was pleased by that, she remained concerned about the lack of clarity over Committee meetings can’t return in a similar format.

“In providing an answer to my question on this issue, the Council Chief Executive has suggested financial implications have played a part, and whilst these are challenging times, Councillors should still be able to carry out their full role as scrutinisers via Committees.

“We have a working system, with this crisis forcing a more transparent era on Council business due to meetings now being live streamed. That’s why it’s particularly disappointing and frustrating while Councillors in other areas can exercise their full democratic rights, we still don’t even have a commitment all meetings will resume in August.

“I recognise traditionally Council Committees would take a break in July, but these are not normal circumstances. We have just had an extended break as the crisis response to COVID-19 took over so I would have thought all parties would have wanted to forego this year’s holiday.”