People and organisations around the world are having to change the way they work as a result of the coronavirus.

It is no different for health services and local authorities in Kent who are still having to make themselves accountable to those they serve.

To prevent systems from grinding to a halt, almost every arm of public life has had to implement some form of change.

A controversial measure has been for people in charge of the county's health to stop the public from attending meetings, even remotely.

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is the body in charge of allocating funding for the county's health services.

A spokesman said in light of the pandemic it would be holding future meetings, normally open to the public, via video link for members only.

Confirming the move meant the exclusion of the public and press for the foreseeable future, they added: "Under usual circumstances the governing body, Primary Care Commissioning Committee and Sustainable Health in East Kent Committee meetings are held in public which means the press and public may attend as observers.

"In light of the current restrictions on face-to-face meetings, NHS England and NHS Improvement has agreed that governing body and other meetings should be held virtually.

"For the time being, the CCG will not be able to accommodate members of the public and press on the virtual meetings."

Although it did not say why this could not happen, the group did say steps would be taken to keep people up to date with what was going on.

"The CCG will continue to ensure the meetings are open to public scrutiny as much as possible," the spokesman added.

"We will continue to publish papers and minutes on the CCG website on the events page and members of the public are also invited to submit questions to the governing body by emailing kmcommittees@nhs.net.

"We believe this is consistent with the provisions of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960."

It comes as Kent councils have been given the go-ahead to use powers to hold their meetings virtually.

Video and phone conferencing technology will be able to be used after Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, removed a legal requirement for people to physically attend council sessions.

In announcing the changes, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said residents should still be able to access public meetings remotely to ensure key decisions made by authorities are carried out "transparently".

Medway Council leader Alan Jarrett (Con) told the Local Democracy Reporting service: "Anything that gives councils added powers has to be welcomed because we still have to carry on running important services to the public."

"Anything that gives councils added powers has to be welcomed."

Cllr Jarrett, who leads Kent’s only unitary authority, says he hopes the reforms will provide "more flexibility" for councils and reiterated that "important" public meetings were still being held in Medway, such as planning and cabinet.

Kent County Council’s leader, Cllr Roger Gough (Con), is to chair a cabinet briefing in five days’ time, but, the session will not be held in the familiar setting of Maidstone County Hall.

The local authority has planned an “informal” cabinet session, which will be broadcast via Microsoft Teams. It is due to take place next Monday.

Following next week’s virtual briefing, the council will be holding a more traditional, public, cabinet meeting on Monday, April 27 via the internet.

They are expected to discuss KCC’s policy and budgetary challenges while the role of local councillors, during the coronavirus crisis, will be explained further.

Swale council, which covers Sheppey, Sittingbourne and Faversham, announced it will resume meetings next week.

Borough chiefs cancelled meetings after the lockdown was brought in.

Measures announced in the new Coronavirus Act 2020 means the first meeting back for Swale council will be its Cabinet committee on Wednesday, April 22.

Agenda items for the meeting – which is to be held via Skype – include the council's new CCTV policy, public toilets and climate change.

A virtual meeting of the Planning Committee is also planned for Thursday, April 30.

"This will help improve our ability to get back to normal once the lockdown is lifted."

Leader Cllr Roger Truelove (Lab) said: "Officers have adapted remarkably well to remote working and now the government has made it possible for us to legally resume council meetings online.

"Elected members have a responsibility to represent their residents and important decisions still need to be taken.

"This will help improve our ability to get back to normal once the lockdown is lifted."

People interested in attending the virtual meetings should send their details to democraticservices@swale.gov.uk for instructions on how to join.

The justice system has also not escaped the troubling times.

Canterbury Crown Court invited reporters wanting to cover cases held remotely to contact the court for an invitation to join a virtual hearing.

Additional reporting by Local Democracy Reporter, Ciaran Duggan.

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