Council meetings in Brent will be held via video conference during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Brent Council confirmed that some meetings will be held remotely to protect councillors and the public, though others have been cancelled outright.

Members of the press and public will be able to attend the meetings that are still going ahead “where they have a right to do so”.

It comes after the Coronavirus Act 2020 was passed, which outlines how local authorities should proceed in terms of public meetings.

The planning committee meeting scheduled for April 15 will now be held on May 6, while the April 20 audit and standards advisory committee has been moved to May 5.

Planned meetings of the resources and public realm scrutiny committee, health and wellbeing board and community and wellbeing scrutiny committee have been cancelled.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said: “At a time when there is so much disruption to all our lives, councils like Brent have been asking for these changes and I am sure that they will help us to continue to keep the show on the road and carry out more of the council’s business as usual, in a way that is safe for everyone.

“We’re putting in place a video conferencing facility and protocols that will continue to ensure a robust decision-making process with appropriate public participation to avoid delays on important decisions being taken.

“Ensuring that decisions can still be made is something to be welcomed, as this will help ease any delays to projects, schemes and the wider impact on our local economy as we come out on the other side of the pandemic.”

The Act also means Brent Council’s annual meeting – which confirms councillor roles, including the borough’s mayor, for the new municipal year – has been cancelled.

It means Cllr Ernest Ezeajughi will continue in his role as Mayor of Brent for the time being.

Any replacement appointments will be made at a future full council meeting, though the council has powers to make changes before then if necessary.