SCHEDULE 4Notice of local authority meetings, access to documents and attendance at meetings

PART 1Notice of local authority meetings and access to documents

Notices of local authority meetings

3

In paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the 1972 Act (notices of meetings of principal councils)—

(a)

in sub-paragraph (2), after “in Wales” insert “ or, if the meeting is convened at shorter notice, then at the time it is convened ”;

(b)

in sub-paragraph (2)(a)—

(i)

for “of the time and place of the intended meeting shall be published at the council's offices” substitute “ of the intended meeting containing the information required by sub-paragraph (2A) must be published electronically ”, and

(ii)

for “be signed by” substitute “ set out the names of ”;

(c)

after sub-paragraph (2) insert—

“(2A)

The information required to be in a notice under sub-paragraph (2)(a) consists of—

(a)

where the meeting or part of the meeting is open to the public and is held through remote means only, details of the time of the meeting and how to access it;

(b)

where the meeting or part of the meeting is open to the public and is held partly through remote means or is not held through remote means, details of the time and place of the meeting and how to access it;

(c)

where the meeting is not open to the public and is held partly through remote means or is not held through remote means, details of the time and place of the meeting and the fact that it is not open to the public;

(d)

where the meeting is not open to the public and is held through remote means only, details of the time of the meeting and the fact that it is being held through remote means only and is not open to the public.

(2B)

In sub-paragraph (2A), references to a meeting held through remote means are to a meeting held by means of any equipment or other facility which enables persons who are not in the same place to speak to and be heard by each other (whether or not the equipment or facility enables those persons to see and be seen by each other).”