Redcar and Cleveland councillors have backed a motion calling for some committee meetings to be moved to the evenings on weekdays.
The idea to reschedule meetings was proposed by Cllr Curt Pugh with a view to create a more convenient work-life balance for parents.
Cllr Pugh told the BBC that existing meeting times create a ‘barrier to participation’, and that the shift will encourage a ‘step in the right direction’.
‘The purpose of the motion was to try and encourage more people to get involved in local democracy’, he said.