ADSO in the news

ADSO continues to be in the news discussing recent legislation in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid meetings, here you can find recent news articles.

• Association of Electoral Administrators issues guidance on actions to take when member fails to attend any meeting for six consecutive months (localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk)

• John Austin, Helen McGrath: Lack of remote meetings will frustrate new advisers – Borderless & Beyond – 28 April 2022

• John Austin, Helen McGrath: Lack of remote meetings will frustrate new councillors – LGC – 28 April 2022

• Revealed: Whitehall’s consultations black hole – LGC – 20 April 2022

• Cheshire East Council Supports Call for Government to Lift the Ban on Remote Council Meetings – Cheshire’s Silk 106.9 – 7 March 2022

• Local government groups issue model motion for councils to show support for choice to hold remote and hybrid meetings – Local Government Lawyer – 23 February 2022
• Call for Cheshire East to back petition for remote meetings – Winsford & Middlewich Guardian – 21 February 2022

• ADSO, LLG, SLCC, CfGS & nalc joint statement on Model Motion for Council Meetings – 10 February 2022

  extension: pdf

• ‘Wreaking havoc’ – local government bodies call for law change to support remote participation – PT – 31 January 2022

• Local government bodies call for change in law on remote meetings – UKA – 27 January 2022

• Joint letter from ADSO, LLG, SLCC, CfGs and NALC: Lack of remote meeting provision for councils is wreaking havoc on local democracy -19 January 2022

  extension: pdf

• Sector call for reinstatement of remote meetings gains momentum -LGC – 19 January 2022

• Rotherham Council leader calls for government to allow meetings to be held virtually due to Covid – The Star – 10 January 2022

• Jackie Weaver pleads for return of online council meetings – The Guardian – 7 January 2022

News from 2021:

• Government urged to allow remote council meetings – LocalGov – 10 December 2021
• Renewed call for remote meetings as omicron spreads – Local Government Chronicle – 2 December 2021
• Officers implore government to rethink remote meeting rules – The Municipal Journal – 1 December 2021

• Councils ‘reluctant’ to return to face to face meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 2 September 2021

• Disabled Arun councillor ‘excluded’ from in-person meetings – Bognor Regis Observer – 3 August 2021

• Virtual meetings have saved Nottinghamshire County Council £47,000 –  Chad – 17th June 2021

• Can you hear me? Virtual Local Authority Meetings cut out – Lexology – 15 June 2021

• Jenrick hints opportunity for remote meetings legislation if roadmap shifts – Local Government Chronicle – 7 June 2021

• Disappointment at return to ‘face to face’ council meetings – Craven Herald and Pioneer – 11 May 2021

• Carl Marshall appointed leader of County Durham Labour group – The Northern Echo – 11 May 2021

• Councils sidestep rules through ‘informal’ remote – Local Government Chronicle – 11 May 2021

• Overwhelming disappointment as virtual meetings abolished – Cornish & Devon Post – 7 May 2021

• Forcing councils to physically meet risks ‘democratic deficit’ – article by John Austin – The MJ – 5 May 2021

• Face-to-face meetings to return for BCP Council – Daily Echo – 5 May 2021

• ADSO vows to fight on in virtual meeting battle – The MJ – 4 May 2021
• RBWM ‘disappointed’ as virtual meetings not allowed to continue – Maidenhead Advertiser – 30 April 2021

• Council to resume face-to-face meetings after legal bid fails – New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times – 30 April 2021

• Court rules virtual planning meetings must halt next week – Housing Today – 29 April 2021
• Virtual meeting challenge dismissed by High Court – The MJ – 28 April 2021
• ‘Acrimonious disputes’: council lawyers dealt blow over virtual meetings – The Law Society Gazette – 28 April 2021

• LGA: Response to High Court judgement on council meetings – Public Sector Executive – 28 April 2021

• Court rules remote meetings cannot continue after May 7 – Local Government Chronicle – 28 April 2021

• Feature on Governance Arrangements with Colin Copus – Mid Morning Radio Sheffield – 19 April 2021 (from 2:08)
• Will online council meetings be extended beyond 6 May? – House of Commons Library Insight – 19 April 2021
• Councillors prepare for return to town hall meetings as covid rules expire – Brighton and Hove News – 17 April 2021

• The case for remote meetings to continue – The MJ – 15 April 2021

  extension: pdf

• A 50-year-old law should not determine the future of remote meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 14 April 2021

• Exclusive: Racecourse, church and theatre proposed for council meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 13 April 2021

• Exclusive: Labour offer to ‘work with’ government to allow remote meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 13 April 2021

• Breakfast on BBC Radio Somerset – 13 April 2021 (from 02:09mins)
• Jenrick backs virtual meeting legal action – The MJ – 8 April 2021

• Jenrick backs virtual meetings court case – Local Government Chronicle – 7 April 2021

• Council lawyers prepare to lose virtual meetings despite court challenge – The Law Society Gazette – 6 April 2021
• Streaming of Somerset council meetings to continue even after coronavirus restrictions end – Somerset Live – 6 April 2021
• Virtual council meetings could come to an end in May – Craven Herald & Pioneer – 2 April 2021

• Leader of Hertfordshire County Council brands government decision not to allow virtual attendance at council meetings after May 7 ‘illogical’ – In Your Area – 1 April 2021

• Council lawyers seek court declaration on virtual meetings – The Law Society Gazette – 31 March 2021

• The challenges raised by government confirmation of the end of virtual planning committees – Planning 31 March 2021

• Government announces remote meeting powers not being extended – News (nalc.gov.uk) – 26 March 2021
• Jackie Weaver: ‘End virtual council meetings? Dreadful idea’ – 26 March 2021
• Dismay among councils as Government confirms there will be no extension to emergency legislation regarding virtual council meetings – 26 March 2021
• Virtual insanity: Councils hit out at refusal to extend meeting rules – 26 March 2021
• Outrage over shameful failure of government not to legalise remote meetings – 26 March 2021

• Court decision on remote meetings due before May – LGC 25 March 2021

• High Court to resolve next month issue of ability of councils to hold meetings remotely after 6 May deadline – 24 March 2021

• High Court challenge to allow local authority remote meetings beyond 6 May – Hewitsons 23 March 2021

• Don’t stop me now!  Why virtual planning meetings must continue – RTPI 22 March 2021
• Organisations push ahead with legal action on remote meetings – The MJ 19 March 2021
• ADSO and LLG issue claim in High Court – Local Government Lawyer 18 March 2021
• Virtual Hertfordshire council meetings could continue in the future – Watford Observer 17 March 2021
• Local chaos warning over threat to Council Zoom meetings – Sunday Mirror 7 March 2021

• Council officers fight purported government plan to end virtual planning meetings on 6 May – Planning Resource March 2021

• Jenrick warned of legal action over end to virtual meetings – The MJ – 25 February 2021
• Jenrick warned of possible legal action over remote meetings – LGC 26 February 2021
• Local Government Lawyer article on ADSO-SLCC-LLG letter to Local Government Secretary on continuation of remote meetings – 26 February 2021
• Lawyers and democratic services officers to seek court declaration on ability to hold remote meetings after 6 May 2021
• The LLG Grapevine Week 32 – Podcast

• High Court to be asked to rule on continuation of remote meetings 8 Feb 2021

• Ed Hammond: Remote council meetings should be allowed to continue

• Legal advice sought in fight to keep remote meetings
• Lawyers and democratic services officer to obtain legal advice on continuing with virtual meetings after 6 May without need for primary legislation

• County’s leaders present legal solution to let remote meetings continue

• Councillors could be disenfranchised without remote meetings

News from 2020:

• Caution urged before councillors return to their chambers
• LLG and ADSO warn on lawfulness of ‘hybrid’ meetings
• How to run remote council meetings successfully
• Running remote parish council meetings

News from 2019:

• SLCC President’s Blog