(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make provision to allow members of the public to report and commentate on public meetings of local government bodies in England. They also require written records to be kept of certain decisions taken by officers of these bodies.
Regulation 3 amends the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to allow entry to the meetings of specified local government bodies for the purposes of reporting and to allow the results of the reporting to be publish or disseminated. “Reporting” includes filming and providing commentary on proceedings and allows for the use of a wide range of methods including social media.
Regulations 4 and 5 make similar amendments to the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
Regulation 7 provides for the making of a written record of certain decisions taken by officers of relevant local government bodies; regulation 8 provides for the publication of that record; regulation 9 provides an exemption for confidential information and regulation 10 imposes a criminal sanction in relation to obstruction of persons in providing information under regulation 8, punishable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
An impact assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as it will have no impact on the costs of business or the voluntary sector.