MIDDLEWICH Town Council held a meeting in a car park because permission for zoom meetings has expired.

Emergency Covid legislation allowing virtual meetings ran out on May 6, and despite calls for new laws to be introduced, the Government has yet to sanction them.

Alternative plans to meet inside Middlewich Methodist Church were scotched after coronavirus rules limiting numbers were extended last week.

Council clerk Lisa Benskin described the situation as 'an absolute nightmare'.

The council has been inundated with complaints from residents unable to watch the proceedings.

"Members of the public can't understand why we couldn't carry on with our online zoom meetings," said Ms Benskin. "We tried our best to video the meeting but there were cars going past and lots of noise in the background. We were very lucky it wasn't raining.

"Victoria Hall, where we usually meet, is now being used as a vaccination centre and takes absolute priority.

"We were reduced to having our meeting in the car park.

"We're getting attacked from the public and it's not our fault."

Councillors had to gather in person to approve a time sensitive document which had to be completed by the end of the month.

The council would have preferred to continue using the video conferencing app Zoom but this is now illegal.

Middlewich Town Council outside meeting

Middlewich Town Council clerk Lisa Benskin and council chairman Cllr Mike Hunter forced to hold meeting in a car park

"We want online meetings," said Ms Benskin. "It is much more convenient for us and the public loved it. We had so much more engagement.

"Hundreds of people have been watching meetings online and people were able to watch them when they wanted as they were recorded."

Town councils across the country, she said, were now facing the same dilemma and she called on ministers to take urgent action to redress the problem.

The National Association of Local Councils had been petitioning the Government to bring in the necessary legislation to allow online meetings to continue.

"You don't see ministers and MPs having meetings in car parks," said Ms Benskin. "The Government arranged for themselves to have virtual meetings but didn't think of any level of local government.

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"We had to come up with imaginative ways to hold meetings simply because the Government aren't willing to prioritise time to amend the Local Government Act 1972. It is quite disgusting."

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said guidance on how councils can minimise the risks of face-to-face meetings had been shared and unprecedented emergency funding had been provided.

Councillors hope Covid restrictions will be lifted in time for their next meeting on July 19.

"We can't carry on like this," said Ms Benskin. "We haven't had any money to help us host meetings. We don't have funds to go out and buy recording equipment and microphones. It is not an option that is available to us."