Councils will now be allowed to send agendas and meeting papers electronically, ending an out-dated ‘budgetary burden’.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) have confirmed reforms to 40-year old rules to help councils operate more efficiently and reduce costs.
Local government minister, Kris Hopkins, said: ‘This Government is determined to bust barriers to modernisation in local government therefore it is only right councils should be able to issue agendas electronically, whilst ensuring councillors continue to have access to hard copy papers if they wish.
‘This is a great opportunity for town halls to use modern digital communications to conduct business in the most efficient way possible and it will help reduce costs and provide better value for money for local taxpayers.’
The change to an ‘arcane law’ has been welcomed by the National Association for Local Councils, who said reforms were ‘long overdue’.
Chair of NALC, Cllr Ken Browse, said: ‘NALC welcomes the Government’s announcement that allows parish and town councils to be able to send agendas electronically rather than in the post; ending a budgetary burden on councils and enabling them to benefit from 21st Century technology.’
The regulations will come into force 30 January 2015.
