A HALSTEAD councillor is looking to get residents back involved by hosting a virtual surgery - his first in more than a year.

Councillor Pete Caulfield is looking to host his first surgery in more than a year following the success of town council meetings.

The pandemic forced Mr Caulfield, who represents the Holy Trinity ward in Halstead, to cancel the two surgeries he had planned last year for his

But, after seeing the use of online meetings be successful, Mr Caulfield is now hoping to hear what residents have to say once again with a virtual surgery meeting.

Mr Caulfield said: “The council had planned two surgeries last year that had to be cancelled because of the pandemic and it’s not been possible to arrange one since.

"However, due to the success of using Zoom for our normal council meetings, it would seem to be an obvious way forward for our surgeries.”

The meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 and is expected to last for an hour - starting at 7pm.

Mr Caulfield stresses the meeting is an experiment which will concentrate on the Trinity ward to the south of the town

However, participants from other wards would not be excluded.

It is hoped that, if the meeting is a success, other councillors can do the same in their wards.

Mr Caulfield added: “At our live surgeries, constituents are able to speak in confidence to their councillors and the same should apply to the virtual meeting, so participants will be held in a “waiting room” until it’s their turn.”

The councillor has said full details and joining instructions will be published on both his Facebook page and that of the Halstead Residents’ Association.