The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”) come in to force on 4 April. Broadly speaking, the 2020 Regulations enable local councils to hold remote meetings (including by video and telephone conferencing) for a specified period until May next year. They also remove the requirement to hold an annual meeting. The 2020 Regulations apply to local council meetings, committee and sub-committee meetings in England. Separate legislation is anticipated for Wales.

The COVID-19/ Coronavirus pandemic and the unprecedented in peacetime Government measures in response to the crisis (e.g. prohibitions on gatherings, social distancing, self-isolation and shielding of those deemed to be the most vulnerable) have meant that the requirement for local authorities to hold public meetings in person with all members present in one place cannot be met. The statutory requirements for meetings are mainly contained in the Local Government Act 1972 (“the 1972 Act”) and the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (“the 1960 Act”).

In recognition of the problem of holding and attending meetings, and further to the lobbying of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and others, the Government included s.78 in the Coronavirus Act 2020. This section gave the Secretary of State the power to make Regulations to make provisions for the holding of meetings remotely. 

The annual meeting of the Parish Council was held on 11 May 2023. The Chair and Vice Chair were duly elected at this meeting and other roles appointed. The Proper Officer to the Council confirms that the appointments detailed on the document Councillors Responsibilities, are up to date. 

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REGISTER OF INTERESTS:

All Councillors have registered their pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests with Mid Suffolk District Council and these are published on Mid Suffolk District Council's website. To  view a copy of the Councillors' Register of Interests please use the link below to be redirected to the relevant pages.

Palgrave Parish Councillors' Registers of Interests