Atherstone Town Council in session during coronavirus crisis 'totally wrong thing to do and exposing the public to risk'

An Atherstone town councillor is taking a "moral" stand by staying away from its monthly meeting tonight in line with the Prime Minister's and top medical advice urging the population to "avoid unnecessary social contact" while coronavirus cases surge.

Retired hospital doctor Jacky Chambers says she cannot understand how Atherstone Town Council can sit in the 'borrowed' civic suite of the local authority which is working towards holding future committee sessions remotely.

Her reaction follows the decision to allow the public in to "participate" as the town council debates important issues this evening on what will be a restricted agenda – despite her plea to call off the meeting.

Cllr Chambers told Nub News: "I am not attending tonight on a point of principle – not for my own protection."

The former director of public health for the city of Birmingham said: "It is totally the wrong thing to do.

"I take the current situation extremely seriously and believe that the sensible thing is to follow the PM and chief medical officer's advice to everyone which is to avoid all unnecessary social contact.

"Borough council meetings have already been cancelled and remote meetings will be the norm from next week.

"I am disappointed that my request that we should not further expose local people as well as councillors to the risk of sitting in a closed room and breathing the same air, touching the same door handles, using the same loos – and my suggestion that we use modern technology to hold meetings – appears to have been ignored."

Yesterday, as Boris Johnson announced a £350 billion package to help families and businesses during the coronavirus health crisis which has seen 104 deaths reported in 2,626 confirmed cases he specifically re-iterated that social distancing included gatherings "large and small".

Councillor Ray Jarvis added: "The agenda for has been reduced to important items only that have to be done.

"We will be operating a very strict separation policy."

Town council leader David Wright previously told Nub News he wasn't stopping anyone coming but he thought some members would not be in attendance.

"It's not a question of self-isolating, more about being sensible for some of our councillors," added the town council chairman.

One of items likely to make the agenda is the results of a survey on progressing the Goldie's Bench saga which caused a local outcry when two benches were removed from outside the Nationwide and Red Lion Hotel in Long Street, Atherstone.

A spokeswoman for North Warwickshire Borough Council – which is where the Atherstone Town Council meeting is being staged tonight at 7pm – said the local authority was moving towards vacating the civic suite and holding committee sessions by remote means.

"It's a question of technology being tested and approved before going ahead," she said.