Council makes history

It was the first meeting to be held in the council chamber at which councillors accessed the schedule via their iPads.

Mayor Alan Carson said: “It’s good to see all these iPads sitting up. It’s great to be creating history as this is the first night that we’re almost 100 per cent paper free.”

While the majority of the councillors accessed the agenda, minutes and reports through the iPads which have been provided to them by CBC, a small number of councillors were still going ‘old school’ by reading from the ring-bound schedule.

It’s understood some of the councillors are yet to receive training on how to use the new iPads.

The Mayor commented: “Almost three quarters of us are using iPads. I’d like to thank council officers for getting the system up and running.”

He added that Belfast City Council are keen to see if they can follow Craigavon Borough Council’s lead and introduce iPads for councillors.

Two council officers were on hand in case of any teething problems with the new system, but by in large the iPads slotted seamlessly into the council meeting structure.

It’s claimed the iPads will save money in the long term as opposed to the old system of printed schedules for every person who attends council meetings.