Decision details
Video Conference Suites
Decision Maker: Executive Director (Communities & Customers) (Interim)
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decision:
To pilot the adoption of fixed video conference facilities in rooms across Council offices for both internal and commercial use. The revenue sum of £37,000 has been allocated for this work.
Reasons for the decision:
Potential benefits include:
· Reduced travel, improved carbon footprint, lower travel costs between offices and for off-site meetings with partners, vendors and customers
· Optimised attendance
· Less printing
· Increased productivity - less travel time
· Employee attraction/retention
· More inclusive for remote workers – face to face
· Greater inclusion of staff with disabilities
· Humanise conversations (video v audio)
· Provide educational opportunities in groups
· Integrated with existing laptop/smart phone capabilities at no extra cost
· Improved security with visibility of who is on-line
· Could assist with public attendance at Council buildings of disadvantaged members of the public.
· Allows access to internal and external contacts
· Review previous meetings to assist with note taking, governance etc
· Provides commercial opportunities for Town Hall events management.
Alternative options considered:
The option of doing nothing would result in the Council foregoing the potential advantages.
Signed off by senior officers:
Approval by: Interim Executive Director, Communities & Customers; Head of Law & Governance; and Head of Financial Services.
Publication date: 19/03/2020
Date of decision: 18/11/2019