Calls for change after businessman allowed to join council meeting while driving

Dundee councillors have called for a change to the way meetings are held after a businessman was allowed to join one remotely while driving.

Dundee City Council still holds meetings for committees like licensing and planning online, despite most others being held in person.

During one such licensing meeting last week, Ross McLean, director of Paragon Projects Scotland Ltd, joined the call while driving, using a hands-free device.

Mr McLean had two applications for short-term lets in the city up for discussion, which were approved by councillors.

Legal officers told councillors it was not illegal to dial in hands-free – something that has also happened at other Scottish councils – and Mr McLean was allowed to stay in the meeting.

However, it has sparked calls from some councillors for a return to in-person meetings.

The local authority resumed most in-person meetings in August 2024, after a period of holding them remotely during and after Covid.

It spent £85,000 on wireless equipment to enable a hybrid approach from council chambers in City Square, which allows for both face-to-face and virtual meetings.

Councillor Jimmy Black (SNP) said: “I know we have been advised that it’s legal, but I don’t think it’s appropriate, and I think it’s something we should actively discourage.

“I think it’s irresponsible for someone to take part in a meeting on the telephone like this.”

Councillor George McIrvine, Labour group leader, agreed, saying: “I think over the years now there is a total disregard for not just the licensing committee but the licensing board as well.

“And I think it’s down to us not having face-to-face meetings.

“People are now representing themselves, representing others with their screens turned off; they are driving.

“We’ve had many incidents of this, and it’s getting worse.”

Businessman ‘shocked’ at response from councillors

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr McLean said he had been given the option of joining the meeting remotely, and did so from his vehicle for convenience.

He said: “I was travelling to Glasgow on business.

“I don’t know about you, but I conduct a lot of business I do in my car when I’m driving because I’m driving to various locations over Scotland, and it’s all on my hands-free.

“For all my years of doing what I do as a project manager, I’ve never had anybody complain about that.

“I was quite shocked because they seemed to be quite annoyed about it all, and I didn’t really understand.

“All I said to them, to make them aware, was: ‘Just so you know, the background noise is just that I’m driving just now, so if I get cut off or you can hear anything, just let me know,’ because I did get cut off once, so I just thought I’d be polite and make them aware of that.

“If it was a face-to-face meeting, I would have gone along to that as well.

“On the invitation to attend the meeting, you have the link for the Zoom call, then below it is the number to call for dialling in; they give you two options.”

Stewart Hunter (SNP), the committee convener, told the meeting that discussions on returning to in-person meetings are taking place.

He said: “I fully support the idea of going back to face-to-face meetings.

“I have raised this with senior council officers; I had hoped to be there by now, but we’re not.

“But I will follow it up after this meeting to encourage that we get back to face-to-face as quickly as we can, and that will resolve a number of these issues.”