The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Meetings) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision amending the Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Meetings) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/442 (W. 100)) (“the April 2020 Regulations”).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 9 of the April 2020 Regulations, disapplying that regulation in relation to meetings of a kind described in new paragraph (3) of that regulation. This means that local authorities must hold those meetings within the time limit imposed by the enactment or instrument under which the meeting must be held.

Regulations 3 to 5 insert new provisions into Part 4 of the April 2020 Regulations. Regulation 3 provides for the modification of section 228 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70). Under the modification, community councils are not required to make minutes of proceedings open to inspection, but instead are required to provide copies of minutes on request.

Regulation 4 provides for the modification of section 26(3) of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 (c. 23), in relation to giving notice of certain meetings under that Act.

Regulation 5 adds a Schedule to the April 2020 Regulations, and makes other related amendments. The Schedule sets out modifications of various enactments which are related to the modifications made by Part 4 of those Regulations.

The Welsh Ministers' Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.