Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021

Notices of local authority meetings

5 In section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (c. 67) (admission of public to meetings)—

(a) in subsection (4)(a), at the end insert “(but see subsections (4ZA) to (4ZC) for further provision in relation to notices of meetings of certain bodies in Wales)”;

(b) after subsection (4), insert—

“(4ZA) Subsection (4ZB) applies to community councils and joint boards or joint committees which discharge functions of community councils or of community councils and of a principal council in Wales within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972.

(4ZB) In the case of a meeting of a body to which this subsection applies—

(a) a copy of the notice mentioned in subsection (4)(a) must also be published electronically at least three clear days before the meeting or, if the meeting is convened at shorter notice, then at the time it is convened;

(b) if the meeting is held partly through remote means, the notice under subsection (4)(a) must give details of how to access the meeting (as well as its time and place);

(c) if the meeting is held through remote means only, the notice under subsection (4)(a) must give details of how to access the meeting as well as its time, but not its place.

(4ZC) In subsection (4ZB)—

(a) 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);

(b) the requirement imposed on a body to publish a notice electronically is, where the body has its own website, a requirement to publish on that website.”