MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Housing, Local Government & Planning: Meetings of principal
councils, FRAs and NPAs have the potential to reach and engage a
wide audience from the local community and further afield. These
meetings provide new ways to support and serve local communities
with strong emphasis on the principles of democracy, transparency
and accountability to the citizens of Wales. They also provide
opportunities to share information, explore matters which effect
individual's daily lives and increase awareness of local
issues.
Section 46(1) and (2)(a) of the Local Government and Elections
(Wales) Act 2021 places a duty on principal councils to put in
place arrangements for the broadcast of full council meetings so
that members of the public who are unable to attend can see and
hear proceedings as they happen. This was always intended as an
iterative process that would be extended to other meetings,
informed by the experience of implementing the arrangements for
full council meetings. At present there is no requirement on NPAs
or FRAs to broadcast their meetings.
To inform the next stage in our approach to broadcasting
meetings, I want to hear views from individuals and organisations
about:
- whether the duty on a principal council to broadcast meetings
should be extended to include meetings other than that of the
full council, and
- whether this approach should be extended to FRAs and/or NPAs
to broadcast their meetings, and
- what the period of retention should be for the recordings of
those meetings that are required to be broadcast.
I would encourage you to share your views about these matters as
part of the consultation
process.
