I think we're all in the same boat. Standing orders don't permit this, as the legal framework doesn't exist to permit it. The NALC is lobbying government to introduce temporary powers, but that has not happened yet.
Bearing in mind the situation we're in, nobody is likely to take action against any local council that has adopted measures outside the permitted framework, as long as the action was essential within a particular timeframe. For example, a decision to install a park bench could be delayed until next year if necessary, whereas the awarding of a contract for urgent works might need to proceed. My advice is to look very carefully at the matters under consideration and ask why they are being addressed now.
The sharing of opinions prior to voting is an important part of the democratic process, so you should take whatever steps you can to hear each member's views. This can be done by email. Amendments could be treated in the same way. In other words, conduct your meeting as you would at any other time, but rather than verbally, use the keyboard. At the end of the process, everybody should email the Clerk with a clear indication of their vote, for or against. I would print and retain those final messages as evidence of the process.
As an alternative, you could hold a virtual meeting using video conferencing software such as Zoom, however this requires every member of the council to have a device with a forward-facing camera and microphone and to download and install the software. In my councils, members lack the IT capability to achieve this.
