CORONAVIRUS: How democracy will be affected in Fylde in Wyre

The move, which will be kept under weekly review, is in response to the latest government advice for the over-70s to be “particularly stringent” in practising social distancing – by avoiding gatherings and unnecessary use of public transport.

Council papers state that 43 percent of the authority’s members are in that age bracket, some of whom are already self-isolating after “carefully considering their circumstances”. They add that there may be insufficient numbers able or willing to travel to meetings during the outbreak.

Fylde operates a system of governance under which individual committees have significant decision-making powers. As it is currently illegal for members to vote remotely, those powers will now be delegated to relevant officers where it is legally permissible.

However, councillors will be consulted remotely and hold an “informal vote”. While that vote cannot bind officers, they are likely to give “almost overwhelming weight to a vote of committee members responding remotely to a report and officers’ advice”.

Fylde’s town hall headquarters in Lytham St. Annes will also curtail their opening hours to between 10-11am and 2-3pm, with residents encouraged to use online services instead.

Wyre Council has cancelled all but “essential” meetings between now and 15th May – along with all planned events.

Lancashire County Council has cancelled all formal cabinet, council and committee meetings "until further notice". It is understood that use will be made of the provision in the authority's constitution for the leader or relevant cabinet member to "deal with matters of urgency which cannot await a meeting of the cabinet".