Local Government: Meetings

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities written question – answered at on 15 December 2021.

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Photo of Clive Betts Clive Betts Chair, Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, Chair, Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has plans to reintroduce remote meeting options for local authorities in response to the Omicron variant and Plan B restrictions announced on 8 December 2021.

Photo of Tim Farron Tim Farron Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department will bring forward legislation to enable local authorities to undertake remote meetings following the guidance issued on 8 December 2021 to work from home.

Photo of Tim Farron Tim Farron Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the results of the Local Government Association survey of councils, conducted before the emergency of the Omicron covid-19 variant, on the impact of returning exclusively to in-person local authority meetings.

Photo of Kemi Badenoch Kemi Badenoch Minister for Equalities, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (jointly with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Department is reviewing the responses to the consultation and the Government will respond shortly. Any permanent change would require primary legislation, and would depend upon Parliamentary time being available.

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