Remote Meetings – Government Call for Evidence – 2021

  Press Release   In February, ADSO and LLG submitted a freedom of information request to the Government in relation to the remote meetings ‘Call for Evidence’ which took place between March to June 2021. We asked for all information received by the Government including a breakdown of the responses received, the number received and … Continued

Book of condolence for John Lynch

It was with deep sadness that on Sunday 17 July, ADSO had to announce that John Lynch, our long-standing Finance Director, passed away after a fall at home in which he suffered a catastrophic brain injury. The tragic news has shocked and upset us all. John was a founding Director of ADSO, truly devoted to … Continued

ADSO response to the Government response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life recommendations

Following the recent publication of the Government Response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life report, please find the statement from ADSO. ADSO shares the disappointment expressed by others in the Government’s belated response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life recommendations published in January 2019. The response does not do justice to … Continued

Motion in support of the Ukraine

The ADSO Board at it’s meeting this morning, have agreed the following motion in support of the people of the Ukraine. The motion reads: ADSO is an organisation that promotes democracy. We therefore stand fully behind the citizens of the Ukraine and their local government community in their brave efforts to protect the free society they worked … Continued

ADSO’S EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATEMENT

  As a professional association, we are strongly committed to ensuring that inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do. This includes a commitment to ensuring that all of our events, governance materials, resources, training, discussion platforms and services are developed with inclusivity at the centre. Equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination are … Continued

Guidance on Remote Meetings: What next for Local Authorities?

The below guidance has been prepared by Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) in association with Bevan Brittan LLP for the benefit of its respective membership following the High Court judgment on remote meeting provision in respect of local authorities in England. Many questions have been raised following … Continued

Member Update: – Virtual Meeting Judgement following Post-script

Following the Judgement from the High Court in relation to our Virtual Meeting Judicial Review, the court indicated at the end of that judgement within a postscript, that it would consider references to a meeting being “open to the public” or “held in public”. That judgement was handed down today.   The Court has ruled … Continued

Statement following court proceedings

  Proceedings for a court declaration that virtual meetings can proceed past 6th May 2021 was heard today in the High Court before the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, Dame Victoria Sharp and the Hon Mr Martin Chamberlain QC. ADSO and LLG instructed Counsel, Peter Oldham QC of 11KBW to make submissions and we … Continued