OXFORD City Council has made changes to its constitution which will allow decisions to be made while meetings cannot take place.

The changes include that council staff can take decisions about planning applications and licenses for restaurants and taxis without discussion by councillors.

The council's cabinet members also have the ability to take urgent decisions without discussion on certain issues during the lockdown.

While in usual circumstances the council's different area planning committees would be responsible for approving or denying planning applications, now the head of planning services can rubber stamp them.

And the head of regulatory services now has the power to decide wither restaurants should be allowed to sell alcohol, what hours they are allowed to open, and also if taxi drivers can operate.

The council's chief executive Gordon Mitchell can also call special meetings of the council without having to consult the Lord Mayor, who usually acts as a chairman at council meetings.

Meanwhile elected councillors who are part of the cabinet can make decisions on urgent issues without having to call meetings, and will be sent reports on the issues to help them take any action.

The council's cabinet has recently been reshuffled, to give some members responsibility for new areas of council business during the lockdown.

Linda Smith, for example, is usually cabinet member for housing, but has new responsibilities to help the homeless and oversee food distribution.

All of the changes have been made so decisions can take place in a 'timely' manner according to the constitution dated April 3.

Last week, councils were given new powers under the coronavirus act to hold meetings remotely.

Councils across the country have started using digital technology to do this, but so far, Oxfordshire's councils have not started doing this.