toWn CounCIl MeetInGS

The Local Government Act (1972) requires Town and Parish Councils to hold meetings face to face that are open to members of the Public to attend. In order to permit Councils to continue to conduct business safely through the pandemic, the government created legislation allowing local authorities to hold meetings remotely until 06 May 2021. Keynsham Town Council and its Committee meetings have therefore been conducted virtually on Zoom since May last year. The legislation has already been extended in Wales, so Parish and Town Councils there can continue to meet and make decisions virtually after 6th May. However, despite the National Association of Local Councils, Society of Local Council Clerks and various other bodies and individuals petitioning the government, the response has been that it will not extend the current legislation in England and that there is no time within the parliamentary timetable to consider the change in primary legislation that would be required to enable virtual meetings to become enshrined in law.

The Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO), Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and Hertfordshire County Council have therefore lodged a legal challenge in the High Court as to the interpretation of the Local Government Act (1972), that seeks a continuation of Local Authority remote meetings beyond the 06 May 2021. The date for this challenge to be heard in the courts was set for 21st April, but the outcome is not guaranteed and so the Town Council needs to consider how it wishes to move forward after 7th May and, in any case, resume face to face meetings when national lockdown is scheduled to end on 21st June.

The Risk Assessment from the Town Council’s point of view is that a considerable number of staff and Councillors will not have received their first vaccine in May or even June, let alone their second. There is also the added risk from the attendance of Members of the Public, particularly if a controversial planning application or other item is to be discussed at a meeting. There is still much uncertainty around how legislation or COVID-19 risks and restrictions (including any new variant surges) may change over the coming weeks and months. The emergence of the Brazilian and Indian strains is worrying, especially if they reach these shores.

Prior to 21st June, the Council is not willing to undertake face to face meetings given the current risk assessment. Therefore the various Committee meetings will continue to be held virtually and members of the public permitted to attend and speak, but these will take the form of consultation meetings only, with decisions being delegated to be made by the Town Clerk or Deputy Town Clerk.

Unless the Court Case is successful, the Council will be commencing face to face meetings for all its Committees and full Council once national lockdown ends. The first full Council meeting takes place on Tuesday 22nd June at which the Council will approve the Annual Governance and Accountability Return together with the end of year accounts for 2020/2021.

All Council meetings from this date onwards will be held in The Space and appropriate PPE and social distancing measures will be in place. All attendees, be they Councillors, staff or Members of the public will be required to wear a minimum of FFP2 facemasks which will be supplied by the Council. Meetings may also be limited to 2 hours or less.

Committee meetings (including Planning & Development Commttee) will not take place in the Council offices but in the Baptist Church or other suitable large room, again with appropriate safety measures in place. Full details of the place for each meeting will be included on the Agendas which are published in advance on the Town Council website.

The Town Council offices will also re-open on Monday 21st June and members of the public will be permitted to enter provided appropriate PPE and social distancing measures are followed as per the prevailing risk assessment at the time.

• 28th Environment & Sustainability - 6pm