Hertfordshire County Council meeting paused after councillors could not be heard

A MEETING of Hertfordshire County Council’s children, young people and families cabinet panel had to be paused on Thursday (June 8) – due to ‘technical difficulties’.

As part of the meeting, members of the panel were in the council chamber at County Hall, in Hertford.

But they were being joined online by members if the council’s education, libraries and lifelong learning cabinet panel, for an item on ‘early help redesign’.

Technical difficulties meant that although those members accessing the meeting online could hear the meeting, they could not be heard when they spoke.

The meeting was paused for in excess of 20 minutes, while efforts were made to resolve the technical issue. But those efforts were unsuccessful.

And when the technical issues could not be resolved executive ember for children, young people and families Cllr Fiona Thomson adjourned the item – before continuing with the rest of the meeting.

The item on ‘early help redesign’ will now be discussed at a joint meeting of the education, libraries and lifelong learning and the children, young people and families cabinet panels on June 22.

At the meeting Cllr Thomson said: “Apologies. We have had some technical issues this morning which we have desperately tried to resolve.

“Unfortunately they have not been able to be resolved.

“And so, with that in mind – and because this item is incredibly important and we need to have full conversation and to be able to hear comments from everybody in the two panels – I have made the decision to adjourn this first item.

“And we will then reconvene a separate meeting – which will be a joint meeting – at the beginning of the education, libraries and lifelong learning panel on the 22nd of June.”

Cllr Thomson acknowledged that this was ‘less than satisfactory”, but that it was “vitally important” to be able to hear from all members.