Regulation 2 Remote attendance
A reference in any enactment to a council meeting is not limited to a meeting of persons all of whom, or any of whom, are present in the same place and a reference to a “place” where a meeting is held, or to be held, includes reference to more than one place including electronic, digital or virtual locations such as internet locations, web addresses or conference call telephone numbers.
In any enactment where there is a reference to a council meeting, a member of a council (“a member in remote attendance”) attends the meeting at any time if all of the conditions in paragraph (3) are satisfied.
Those conditions are that the member in remote attendance is able at that time—
to hear, and where practicable see, and be so heard and, where practicable, be seen by, the other members in attendance;
to hear, and where practicable see, and be so heard and, where practicable, be seen by, any members of the public in attendance in order to exercise a right to speak at the meeting; and
to be so heard and, where practicable, be seen by any other members of the public in attendance.
In this regulation, any reference to a member, or a member of the public, attending a meeting or being in attendance includes that person attending by remote access.
A council must make standing orders governing remote attendance at meetings of that council, which shall—
specify the basis or process for considering whether (including who is to assess or decide whether) council meetings should or are to be held remotely;
govern the arrangements for and conduct of such meetings whenever such meetings are to be held remotely; and
regulate—
the public’s access to such meetings, and
the availability to the public of documents pertaining to such meetings,
whenever such meetings are to be held remotely.