Remote and Hybrid meetings confirmed
After extensive campaigning by the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) and Lawyers in Local Government (LLG), the long-awaited good news was announced on 5 June 2025 that local authorities will be able to hold remote and hybrid meetings.
The timeframes for this have not yet been confirmed, and we will keep our members updated.
Joint Statement from ADSO and LLG
We are delighted with the Government’s announcement which is a real step forward for local democracy. We have been at the heart of the national campaign for remote and hybrid council meetings since they were first introduced during the pandemic, together with supporting the sector during that difficult time.
It has taken five years of dedicated work throughout the campaign, which has included:
- Supporting our members at the beginning of the first lockdown by publishing guidance notes for the holding of remote meetings and subsequently producing model standing orders.
- Providing evidence to the previous Government to show why the right to convene such meetings should be extended beyond the May 2021 deadline.
- Joining membership of the national remote meetings stakeholder group to ensure a joined up sector approach to remote meetings and the campaign for their reinstatement.
- Instituting proceedings in the High Court in April 2021 to seek clarification of the law to enable councils to continue to meet remotely following the expiry of the relevant Covid regulations. (We were supported in our application by the then Secretary of State and the Local Government Association, plus other organisations).
- Submitting a Freedom of Information Request and forcing a decision notice in an attempt to get the Government to publish the information held on the original Call for Evidence.
- Providing draft legislation which could potentially be adopted to enable remote provision.
- Continuing to engage with Government to encourage the reintroduction of remote meetings, including corresponding with the eight different Ministers in the Department throughout the last five years.
- Providing detailed responses to the most recent Government consultation.
We are grateful to the current Government for its positive approach to this issue and are confident it will meet the stated aims of opening local democracy, making it more engaging and accessible to a wider range of people.
The Government has also announced it will be bringing in proxy voting for council meetings. We share concerns about the benefits of proxy voting as against the risks of challenge (particularly in regard to regulatory meetings) around predetermination, interests and conflicts. We are also keen to ensure that councillors who are absent due to significant health issues are able to prioritise their health rather than engaging in council matters; together with ensuring that public confidence in the effective representation by councillors is not reduced.
The Government has stated its commitment to working collaboratively with the sector in developing guidance around these changes. Both ADSO and LLG will be actively taking up this opportunity and look forward to positive engagement on this matter.
John Austin, ADSO Chair, said:
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported us in our campaign, including NALC who used their considerable influence to have the matter debated in the House of Lords during the passage of the Levelling Up Bill earlier this year. Both ADSO and LLG have shown tremendous tenacity, perseverance and professional expertise during the long campaign. I am proud that we have achieved what we set out to do. Now our wish is to ensure that such meetings are held to the very highest governance standards and that local democracy thrives as a result.”
Deborah Evans, Chief Executive of LLG, said:
“LLG are incredibly proud of the hard work not only we and ADSO played in achieving this landmark outcome, but the collaborative effort of the sector as a whole, in coming together with persistence and fortitude to gain this vital provision. This is all about ensuring effective democratic participation and enabling a truly reflective and diverse representation of councillors serving their communities. Capitalising on our previous work, we are committed to embedding strong, ethical governance into the process which enables local choice and agile, robust decision making.”
Media enquiries
For more information please contact:
John Austin – john.austin@adso.co.uk
Helen Bennett – helen@llg.org.uk