Atherstone Town Council gears up for non-contact future as local government waits on legislation to tackle coronavirus 'enemy' via virtual meetings

Town councillors in Atherstone took the "unprecedented" step of meeting for probably the last time in months to help usher in a new world order of non-contact governing against a backdrop of surging coronavirus cases.

Council leader David Wright solemnly spelt out why the authority appeared to skirt round the Prime Minister's social distancing advice to gather "in person" at North Warwickshire Borough Council's civic suite to discuss the monthly business.

The public failed to show and five members of Atherstone Town Council sent their apologies for missing last night including Councillor Jacky Chambers who had earlier told Nub News she was staying away "on principle" after trying to stop the meeting she believed "exposed the public to risk".

Addressing local criticism on social media, Councillor Wright said government is facing the "most serious situation since World War Two" against a silent enemy which is inflicting casualties, sending families into self-isolation for up to 14 days and forcing people to communicate from a distance of two metres.

Town and borough councils in North Warwickshire are moving towards remote meetings but Cllr Wright admitted no legislation exists "at the moment" for this type of arrangement.

The town council chairman said: "This is why we have held this meeting. We are having a meeting to agree we can suspend future meetings."

He said it wasn't "flying in the face" of common sense, adding: "We don't have the power to hold remote meetings at the moment."

Cllr Wright added that emergency legislation would be rushed through the House of Commons next week so local authorities can "meet virtually".

He accepted "everyone is making it up as we go along", adding: "These are unprecedented times . . . the most serious situation since World War Two."

Council clerk Sally Oldham explained the authority is working towards restricting face-to-face meetings with the public at its headquarters.

"We will be encouraging the public to speak to us on the phone," she said, insisting the council did not want the community to feel left out.

"A consistent message is required and we will be restricting face-to-face contact for councillors visiting our premises as well."

Atherstone South Councillor Denise Clews thanked Mrs Oldham – and fellow clerk Odette Ghent –for "all the work they are doing and will be doing", adding: "It is important we met to discuss this and other parish councils will doing the same."

Meanwhile, on a national footing, more emergency legislation to tackle the coronavirus outbreak will be published in Parliament after Boris Johnson announced the closure of schools and cancellation of exams.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will table the Emergency Coronavirus Bill setting out measures aimed at slowing the spread and supporting the NHS and workers in the Commons on Thursday.

The legislation will be presented as the Army prepares to help out in the crisis and Londoners faced the prospect of greater restrictions, with the capital suffering a faster spread of Covid-19.

So far, 104 people have died with more than 2,600 testing positive for coronavirus in the UK – and tens of thousands of people are thought to be infected.

Analysis from Edge Health suggested the NHS will face substantial pressures on critical care beds as the outbreak continues.

According to their modelling, there will be a shortfall of 2,900 beds in the Midlands at "peak Covid-19 ventilator demand".

School could be out until the end of summer after thousands of children in Atherstone and district were told they will be home from Friday "until further notice" as a UK-wide closure is enforced in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs on Wednesday that schools in England would be shut ahead of the weekend for all pupils, except the children of key workers and the most vulnerable.

Stats, GCSEs and A-levels in both England and Wales will be cancelled – although the Prime Minister said there are plans for students to receive qualifications.

Earlier in the day Nub News reported that Atherstone's Queen Elizabeth Academy had been forced to partially close after admitting it could no longer "safely educate" all the pupils on site because of the impact of Government measures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Year 8 students were told to study at home after the educational establishment was hit by "significant" levels of absence from staff self-isolating.

The number of troops in a heightened state of readiness will be doubled to 20,000 while Reserves were to be placed on standby to support public services in a new "Covid support force".