FOUR councillors in Basingstoke crossed the technological divide by holding a surgery in person and online.

Basing borough councillors Sven Godesen, Onnalee Cubitt and Clive Pinder, along with Hampshire County Councillor Elaine Still, held a surgery for residents to raise their problems.

As well as holding their regular drop-in session, the four also reached out to those who couldn’t attend by using Skype and they found around 40 per cent of the people they spoke to, contacted them via the online chat tool.

The three borough councillors said: “We believe that the local political process needs to do a better job of engaging local people and businesses. Using digital technology to facilitate that seems an obvious way to extend the value of a surgery into the online world.

“Residents and businesses were still able to meet us and see us all together in person. However, if that was not convenient they were able to meet with us and see us online.”