Local authority leaders have called on the Government to allow councils to hold virtual and hybrid council meetings.
The Government introduced remote meetings in April 2020 under emergency legislation to enable councils to make critical decisions democratically and without delay during the pandemic.
After the national lockdown, the Government rejected calls from local authorities to make the rules permanent and councils were forced to return to in-person meetings.
The Local Government Association (LGA) today called for councils to be granted the powers to hold virtual and hybrid council meetings whenever they see fit.
The LGA argued that during the pandemic, when meetings were held virtually, there was an increase in participation by elected members and residents, and there was more transparency in the decision-making process.
The association also cited a new poll that found that 72% of councillors surveyed stated that moving to a hybrid model could attract more young people, ethnic minorities, and women to stand in local elections.
Virtual and hybrid meetings also better support the attendance of councillors with disabilities or chronic illnesses and enable councillors with caring responsibilities to balance their role and personal lives, according to the LGA.
The Government has issued a call for evidence but has not yet shared the results.
LGA chairman, Cllr James Jamieson, said: ‘It has been a year since the Government’s call for evidence around remote and hybrid meetings, but it has yet to publish the results or take any steps to address this issue, which is a priority for councils up and down the country.
‘The pandemic proved that using virtual meeting options can help councils work more effectively and efficiently and can in fact increase engagement from both councillors and residents, which is a vital part of local democracy.
‘We urge the Government to act quickly and take the next steps to introduce legislation that would empower local authorities to make the most suitable choice for their organisation and communities and bring them in-step with the residents' expectations of organisations that provide local services in the 21st century.’
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) spokesperson said: 'We recognise some councils would like the choice to be able to meet remotely. We launched a call for evidence to better understand the view of councils on remote meetings and we will set out our response in due course.'
