Because councillors did not call for a named vote, it effectively became a secret ballot. Ordinarily, when a named vote is not called during a meeting, members of the public and press can still see how councillors vote as they raise their hands to do so. But meetings are currently held online and broadcast via Youtube due to the coronavirus restrictions. And the council says the computer software it uses to record votes does not log which way each individual councillor votes it simply shows the total number of votes for, against or abstentions. In the absence of a named vote, the Hereford Times asked all 52 councillors which way they voted on the motion.