PART 3

PROMOTING ACCESS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

Electronic broadcasts of meetings of certain local authorities
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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.