Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing hybrid local council meetings to continue while there are still cases of covid-19.

The Government issued Covid-19 guidance to ensure local council meetings take place safely. The guidance is aimed at those who manage council buildings, and many council buildings are also workplaces which host a variety of meetings in addition to statutory meetings of local authority members. Where in-person attendance is not required these meetings should continue to be held virtually. The guidance also actively encourages local authorities to continue to provide remote public access until 19 July, at which point it is anticipated that restrictions on indoor gatherings will be lifted. It is for local authorities to satisfy themselves they have met the necessary requirements.

We launched a call for evidence which closed on 17 June to gather views on a longer-term decision about provision for local authorities to meet remotely or in hybrid form on a permanent basis. The Department is reviewing the responses and will respond shortly.