Hybrid Meetings Are Here to Stay: Is Your Council Ready?

Government Backing for Hybrid Meetings

Hybrid meetings are now set to become permanent—but meeting legal requirements

We welcome the government’s recent announcement following last year’s consultation on hybrid meetings. In particular, the commitment to introduce legislative change that will formally recognise hybrid meeting formats.

It was especially encouraging to see such strong recognition among respondents of the value that remote and hybrid attendance brings to local authority meetings. A striking 86% of respondents agreed with the principle of allowing remote attendance, and many people highlighted the important role hybrid attendance can play in improving access for:

People with disabilities or impediments due to illness
Those with caring responsibilities
Rural councillors with long travel distances

The Readiness Challenge

The formal adoption of hybrid meetings will represent a meaningful step forward for local democracy, transparency, and accessibility. Following this announcement, councils now have a clear signal: hybrid meetings are here to stay. However, many authorities face pressing questions over readiness:

- Do they have the technology needed to cope with these changes?
- How will officers manage formal, compliant hybrid meetings?
- Will members be able to utilise their right to attend remotely?

Preparing Now Pays Off

We believe local authorities should begin preparing now. Getting hybrid-ready ahead of the legislation means councils will be able to hit the ground running once the changes come into effect.

At Public-i, we have the tools, knowledge and expertise to support this transition. HybridLink for Teams is already helping councils across the UK deliver reliable, high-quality hybrid meetings directly within Microsoft Teams:

- - It’s easy to use: No complex software and training needed.
  - Fully accessible: Meets Equality Act 2010 standards
  - Cost-effective: Integrate with your existing environment
  - Designed for the Public Sector: allows chair-controlled debates, fully managed speaker queues & voting, and integrated minute taking.

And we’re not standing still. We’re actively developing new features, including proxy voting tools, to help maintain democratic integrity when members cannot attend in person. These additions will further enhance the flexibility and fairness of hybrid meetings and ensure we’re ready to support councils if proxy voting legislation follows.

Let’s Build a More Inclusive Democracy Together

With the right technology, robust support, and a clear legislative direction, we’re proud to help councils lead the way in building a more open, inclusive and modern local democracy.

With the LGA Conference just weeks away, there’s no better time to see HybridLink for teams in action.