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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, whether local government bodies can hold meetings remotely if they choose.

A High Court judgement handed down on 27 April 2021 confirmed that the Local Government Act 1972 specifies that council meetings must take place in person at a single, specified, geographical location and being “present” at such a meeting involves physical presence at that location.

This judgement confirmed that the regulations which allowed local authorities to meet remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic did not apply to meetings after 6 May 2021.

Any permanent change would require primary legislation, and would depend upon Parliamentary time being available.

Non-statutory or other informal meetings where local authorities deem that in-person attendance is not required can be held virtually.