Councillors to trial paper-free meetings

Shropshire County Councillors have agreed to carry out a trial which will assess whether the council could reduce the amount of printed reports it produces for council meetings.

Beginning with their meeting in May, several members of the council’s Corporate Support Services Scrutiny Panel will receive committee reports electronically ahead of their monthly meetings – rather than being sent printed copies as they are now.

And, at these meetings, those members taking part in the trial will be able to read reports on screen using laptop computers, instead of using paper copies.

Members of the panel agreed to the trial at their meeting this week (5 March).

Councillor Phil Box, Chairman of the Corporate Support Services Scrutinty Panel, said: “This trial will help us to see if the council could reduce the volume, and associated cost, of printing council and committee reports, by making better use of information technology.”

The results of the trial will be considered by the council’s Cabinet early next year, who will decide if it could be rolled out across other council meetings.

The laptops used during the trial will be computers already owned and used by the council, meaning no extra cost will be incurred.

Hard copy papers will continue to be made available to members of the public, media and council officers attending Corporate Support Services Scrutiny Panel meetings.

7 March 2008