I hope some of you are able to enjoy the warm weather with the appropriate social distancing of course. I’m lucky enough to have access to a garden and it has been a joy seeing the blossom coming on the cherry trees and watching everything else start to bud each day. Its lovely just listening and watching the wildlife in the garden, amazing what is around you if you take the time to stop and look.
I’m pleased to report that we now have 1,103 ADSO Members our highest number to date. 35 have joined since the beginning of March and I hope everyone is seeing the benefit of membership during these difficult times. ADSO is playing its part in raising its profile and helping shape and draw up guidance and support for members across the country. As you would expect the activity on the forum is our busiest ever and is proving a great way to share information and communicate quickly with everyone.
Apart from the general forum and the specific tab around the coronavirus updates, we also have a section on the forum for Combined Authorities but this has not been used to date. If no one thinks this is necessary we can delete this or we could extend it to Fire and Rescue Authorities. Let us have your views whether you want it kept, deleted or extended.
Our work with LLG on the model procedure rules for remote meetings has now been published and can be found here, we hope you find them useful. A number of authorities have already held meetings and they seem to have gone really well. Thanks to those who have posted their experiences on the forum. Once again, democratic services has responded magnificently to the challenges so well done to you all. The LGA have started to compile some experiences around remote meetings which can be found here: We are hoping to publish some more detailed case studies over the coming weeks, so please do get in touch if you want to showcase the work your authority is doing around remote meetings. Contact Wayne our Director of Communications wayne.chandai@adso.co.uk for more details.
As some of you will have seen on the forum the lucky charity pulled out of our virtual hat for our donation to a good cause of £500 was Solace Women’s Aid, nominated by Andy Spragg of LB Waltham Forest.
Keep safe and well
Best Wishes, John Lynch