ADSO in the news

ADSO continues to be in the news discussing local democracy and governance issues, including our hybrid meetings campaign and much more. Here you can find recent articles mentioning ADSO, along with our media releases.

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News from 2024

• How virtual meetings are shaping local democracy – Local Government Lawyer – 6 December 2024
• Praise for ‘refreshing’ virtual meetings proposals – Local Government Chronicle – 28 October 2024
• Local government lawyers welcome remote meetings decision – The Law Society Gazette – 28 October 2024

• ADSO and LLG press release on Local Authority Remote Meetings – 25 October 2024

• Rayner announces consultations on remote meetings and tougher standards regime – Local Government Lawyer – 24 October 2024
• Job moves – Local Government Chronicle – 23 September 2024
• Association of Democratic Services Officers appoints first ever Chief Executive Officer – Local Government Lawyer – 2 September 2024
• Local government lawyers reignite campaign for virtual meetings – The Law Society Gazette – 21 August 2024
• LLG and ADSO “very encouraged” by government response to virtual meeting campaign – Local Government Lawyer – 15 August 2024
• ADSO and LLG press release on virtual meeting provision – 15 August 2024

• Government ‘keen’ to discuss remote meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 5 August 2024

• ADSO welcomes draft Code of Practice on Good Governance for Statutory Officers, calls for Monitoring Officer role to be renamed – Local Government Lawyer – 19 April 2024

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News from 2023

• DLUHC expresses ‘strong view’ against remote meetings – Local Government Chronicle – 10 October 2023

• ICO Refuses to Overturn Government’s Decision Not to Release Call For Evidence Information – SLCC – 5 October 2023

• LLG and ADSO dismay after Information Commissioner upholds decision that their FOI request for information on remote meetings call for evidence was “vexatious” – Local Government Lawyer – 5 October 2023

• Government accused of ‘stalling’ remote meetings decision – Local Government Chronicle – 4 October 2023

• Linda Carter FSLCC, SLCC President, gives an update on this year’s International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) conference – SLCC – 4 July 2023
• “Overwhelming majority” of councils want hybrid meeting powers, LGA survey finds, as wait for outcome of call for evidence continues – Local Government Lawyer – 29 June 2023

• LGA: Overwhelming majority of councils want hybrid meeting powers – Local Government Association (LGA) – 29 June 2023

• John Austin and Helen McGrath: We are challenging government over remote meetings – Local Government Lawyer – 30 March 2023

• Commissioners at Liverpool praise improvement but warn of risks to progress including senior officer upheaval and change in governance – Local Government Lawyer – 16 March 2023

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News from 2022

• Roundtable: What are the opportunities for local government to boost participation, consultation, and engagement in project planning and local policy making through digital democracy? – Local Government Association – 21 Nov 2022

• Colin Copus: Be aware of dangers of national parties running local government | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) (lgcplus.com) 30 May 2022
• 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

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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

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• 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

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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

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News from 2019

• SLCC President’s Blog