PART 3PROMOTING ACCESS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 4LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

46Electronic broadcasts of meetings of certain local authorities

(1)

A principal council must make and publish arrangements for the purpose of ensuring that—

(a)

a broadcast of proceedings at a meeting to which subsection (2) applies is available electronically so that members of the public not in attendance at the meeting can see and hear the proceedings;

(b)

the proceedings are broadcast as they take place, subject to any specified exceptions;

(c)

the broadcast is available electronically for a specified period after the meeting.

(2)

This subsection applies to proceedings at a meeting, or any part of a meeting, which is open to the public of—

(a)

a principal council;

(b)

any of the following specified bodies—

(i)

the executive of a principal council;

(ii)

a committee or sub-committee of an executive of a principal council;

(iii)

a committee or sub-committee of a principal council;

(iv)

a joint committee, or a sub-committee of a joint committee, of two or more principal councils.

(3)

The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make further provision in connection with the broadcast of proceedings at a meeting to which subsection (2) applies.

(4)

In subsections (1) and (2), “specified” means specified in regulations made by the Welsh Ministers.

(5)

If a principal council revises or replaces arrangements made under subsection (1), it must publish the revised or new arrangements.

(6)

A principal council making arrangements required by subsection (1) must have regard to any guidance about the exercise of that function issued by the Welsh Ministers.

(7)

The validity of any proceedings to which subsection (2) applies is not affected by the availability or otherwise of a broadcast (whether as the proceedings take place or afterwards).

(8)

The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make provision for and in connection with ensuring that proceedings at a meeting of an authority listed in subsection (9), or at a meeting of a committee or sub-committee of such an authority, are broadcast electronically.

(9)

The authorities are—

(a)

a fire and rescue authority for an area in Wales;

(b)

a National Park authority for a National Park in Wales;

(c)

a joint committee of one or more principal councils and one or more authorities described in paragraph (a) or (b);

(d)

a joint board which—

(i)

is constituted under any enactment as a body corporate, and

(ii)

discharges functions of two or more principal councils.

(10)

Regulations under subsection (3) or (8) may include provision amending, modifying, repealing or revoking any enactment.