Online meetings to continue for Powys County Council

Enshrining the right to hold meetings remotely over the web is one of a number of changes to Powys County Council’s constitution that will go for ratification at a meeting later this month.

The changes are needed to reflect the Local Government and Elections Act (Wales) 2021 which was passed in March – just before the Senedd broke up for the election campaign.

The situation contrasts with England where legislation allowing councils to meet remotely is due to expire in May.

On Tuesday the changes were discussed by Powys County Council's Democratic Services committee.

Head of legal and democratic services, Clive Pinney, said: “As we all know we have been undertaking meetings remotely for the last 12 months or so, and that was made possible because of emergency legislation put in by the Welsh Government.

“Those emergency powers are due to expire and to give ourselves the opportunity to continue meetings in a remote manner we need to change the constitution.

“The current constitution does not allow remote meetings, but we’ve seen the benefits of it, and the recommendation is simply allow us to continue should the council wish to do so.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Jackie Charlton who is standing in the Welsh Senedd election as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Rhondda, asked: “Is that for good or is it limited?”

Mr Pinney replied: “If we change the constitution we can carry on indefinitely.”

Vote

Scrutiny manager and head of democratic services, Wyn Richards added that the expectation is to continue with remote meetings rather than go back to “as we were.”

Cllr Sandra Davies, said: “Wonderful. I’d like to heartily approve this.”

The meeting voted in favour of taking the recommendation to a full council meeting on Friday April 30.

Under the new law all Welsh local authorities, community councils, national park authorities, fire and rescue authorities and port health authorities must “make and publish arrangements to ensure” that they can broadcast meetings electronically so that members of the public not there can see and hear proceedings.

The expectation is that they will be shown live and will remain online available for people to see for some time after the meeting.

The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 was the last “commencement order” made by the Welsh Government minister for housing and local government, Julie James.

Ms James said: “From May 1, local authorities will be required to make arrangements to ensure their meetings are capable of being held remotely.

“The new regime, which will bring meeting procedures into the 21st century, will largely be based on the temporary regime introduced by the Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Meetings) (Wales) Regulations 2020.

“Those regulations only make provision in relation to meetings held before May 1, 2021.

“From that date, the right of the public and the press to attend meetings will be restored, although that will be subject to any continuing public health regulations.”