COUNCILLORS attending meeting over video links have been accused of leaving them early and of not pulling their weight. 

New rules requiring councillors who attend over video links, rather than in person in the council chamber, will require them to keep their cameras on throughout the meeting and inform the chair if they need to turn their camera off for a “comfort break or another urgent reason”. 

The changes, which also allow for warnings to be issued if a councillor isn’t considered present “for a substantial part of the meeting” and for councillors to be marked as “absent”, prompted angry responses when put before Torfaen Borough Council’s December meeting before being agreed by a majority of the Labour controlled authority. 

Reform UK councillor Alan Slade said it could place a strain on officers who administer the meetings and said: “Are democratic services going to sit there with a list, checking every........

© South Wales Argus