Guidance / Regulations requiring local authorities to publish agendas & minutes on the internet

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Department for Communities and Local Government,

If I recall correctly some years ago the Department, or one of its many predecessors, issued guidance or suchlike requiring local authorities to publish agendas and minutes of committee meetings on their websites in much the same way S.100B Local Government Act 1972 requires principal councils to make such documents "open to inspection by members of the public at the offices of the council".

I require a copy of, or a link to, the relevant guidance.

Yours faithfully,

Bill Ellson

Despatch Box,

                            
Our reference: 3526563             Information request

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Dear Mr Ellson
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for contacting us on 23 October 2017 requesting A copy of, or a
link to, the relevant guidance requiring local authorities to publish
agendas and minutes of committee meetings on their websites in much the
same way S.100B Local Government Act 1972 requires principal councils to
make such documents "open to inspection by members of the public at the
offices of the council".
 
I am dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and aim to send you a response by 20 November 2017.
 
If you have any questions, please ask by return email. Please leave the
subject line unchanged when replying, to make sure your email gets
straight to me.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Ben Heathcote
FOI Business Partner
 
[email address]
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Despatch Box,

1 Attachment

                            
Our reference: 3526563             Information request

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Dear Mr Ellson
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 23 October 2017.
 
I have attached our formal response to your request, and the information
you asked for.
 
Knowledge and Information Access Team
Department for Communities and Local Government
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Dear Despatch Box,

Thank you for your response, but the document supplied is the (easy to find) guidance for smaller authorities such as parish councils, not the guidance for principal authorities.

Yours sincerely,

BillEllson

Despatch Box,

Dear Mr Ellson
 
Thank you for your email below. I'm afraid I am unclear as to what you are
referring at this stage. The term 'prinicpal authority' is not one used
within DCLG. If it is the case that you simply with to access the guidance
that relates specifically to minutes of committees, these are treated in
the same way as minutes of council meetings; see section 100E Local
Government Act 1972.
 
If this is not what you require, I would be grateful for further
clarification.
 
Regards,
 
Ben Heathcote

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Dear Despatch Box,

Thank you for your response, but the document supplied is the (easy to
find) guidance for smaller authorities such as parish councils, not the
guidance for principal authorities.

Yours sincerely,

BillEllson

Dear Despatch Box,

Section 100E Local Government Act 1972 merely applies S100A - D to committees as it applies to meetings of the council itself. S100B requires councils to make agendas and minutes available at council offices etc. The guidance that I am seeking is that which requires principal authorities (such as London Boroughs, County Councils and District Councils etc.) to make such document available online

Yours sincerely,

Bill Ellson