Covid-19 and the Coronavirus Pandemic
Important information for forthcoming meetings
The COVID-19/ Coronavirus pandemic and the unprecedented in peacetime Government measures in response to the crisis (e.g. prohibitions on gatherings, social distancing, self-isolation and shielding of those deemed to be the most vulnerable) have meant that the requirement for local authorities to hold public meetings in person with all members present in one place cannot be met. In recognition of the problem of holding and attending meetings, and further to the lobbying of NALC and others, the Government included s.78 in the Coronavirus Act 2020. This section gave the Secretary of State the power to make Regulations to make provisions for the holding of meetings. The 2020 Regulations set out those provisions.
- The 2020 Regulations permit the holding of remote meetings, with conditions.
- Local councils can decide the methods they will use to facilitate the holding of remote meetings.
- There is no requirement to hold an annual meeting.
Please find below a copy of NALC’s Legal Topic Note providing further details on the Regulations:
In accordance with these regulations:
- The Annual Parish Meeting that was due to be held on Thursday 14th May will not be called. There is nothing in the regulations permitting parish meetings to take place remotely and it is, therefore, NALC’s view that under the current Government Guidance, the annual parish meeting of electors should not take place.
- The Regulation 6 disapplies paragraph 7 of Schedule 12 to the 1972 Act which means there is no requirement
for a parish council to hold its annual meeting in May. Regulation 4 provides that where an appointment would otherwise be made or is required to be made at an annual meeting of a local authority, the appointment continues until the next annual meeting of the authority or until such time as that authority may determine (Regulation 4 (2). This applies to the election of the chairman, the first business at the annual council meeting.
Therefore the current chairman will remain in place until an annual meeting is held (possibly next year). - Regulation 5 permits the holding of remote meetings. If current Government Regulations are not lifted by July, the first virtual meeting of the council may be held then. A copy of the Agenda will be published on the Agenda Page on the website (meeting regulation 13 of the regulations which has amended s.1 (4) (a) of the 1960 Act so that public notice is deemed to be given if the time and place of the meeting is published on the authority’s website). A copy of the Zoom link will be published with the Agenda and meeting papers, enabling the press and members of the public to join the meeting (adhering to Regulation 5(2) of the 2020 regulations).
The Council has adopted the following ‘Scheme of Delegation’ to delegate certain duties to the Clerk and enable the continued running of the council in these unprecedented times.