Council meetings in the town hall of Aa and Hunze can be followed via the internet for a while, but the participants in the meeting will soon be able to participate from home while the city council in Gieten meets. The council chamber will be set up for hybrid meetings in the coming month.
According to the college of mayor and aldermen, the technical installation in the council chamber is very outdated and must be replaced. With modern equipment, municipal councilors, aldermen or the mayor can also participate in the council meeting from behind a screen, while the rest is simply in the town hall.
During the corona pandemic, the city council met exclusively via computer to prevent the coronavirus from spreading within the council and the college.
If a councilor or alderman is unable to be physically present due to a corona infection or for another reason, he or she can report in the future via an image connection.
New cameras have already been installed in the council chamber, which make it possible to get a good picture of every council member. The cameras can rotate, so that people who watch via the Internet can get a complete picture of the council chamber.
In addition to an upgrade of the technical system, the council chamber will also be given a new look in the spring. New carpeting is being laid and curtains with pictures of places from the municipality are hanging along the windows.
Benches will be placed in the middle of the council chamber, so that people can sit together more informally during weddings or other occasions. The hall will also have a new emergency door towards the lawn in front of the town hall, so that people can get out faster in an emergency.
The plans for the council chamber together cost about 113,500 euros. There will be no council meeting in October due to the work.