The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014

Amendment of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012

5.—(1) The 2012 Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 4 after paragraph (5) insert—

“(5A) Where the public are excluded from a meeting under paragraph (2), a decision making body may also prevent any person from reporting proceedings using methods—

(a) which can be used without that person’s presence at the meeting, and

(b) which enable persons not present at the meeting to see or hear the proceedings at the meeting as it takes place or later.

(5B) While the meeting is open to the public, any person attending is to be permitted to report the proceedings.

(5C) Paragraph (5B) does not require a decision making body to permit oral reporting or oral commentary on a meeting as it takes place if the person reporting or providing the commentary is present at the meeting.”

(3) In that regulation, after paragraph (6) insert—

“(7) Any person who attends the meeting to report the proceedings may use any communication methods, including the internet, to publish, post or otherwise share the results of their reporting activities.

(8) Publication and dissemination may take place at the time of the meeting or occur after the meeting.

(9) For the purposes of this regulation, reporting on proceedings at a meeting means—

(a) filming, photographing or making an audio recording of the proceedings at the meeting,

(b) using any other means for enabling persons not present to see or hear proceedings at the meeting as it takes place or later, or

(c) reporting or providing commentary on proceedings at the meeting, orally or in writing, so that the report or commentary is available to persons not present, as the meeting takes place or later.”

(4) In regulation 20 omit paragraph (4).