{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-authorities-executive-arrangements-access-to-information-england-regulations-2000/regulation-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-authorities-executive-arrangements-access-to-information-england-regulations-2000/regulation-21.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2000/3272",
  "legislation_title": "The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-authorities-executive-arrangements-access-to-information-england-regulations-2000",
  "path": "regulation/21",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "Confidential information, exempt information and advice of a political adviser or assistant",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraph (3), nothing in these Regulations shall prevent the exclusion of the public from a meeting of a decision making body that is exercising an executive function where—\n(a) it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or of the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the transaction of an item of business, confidential information would be disclosed to them in breach of the obligation of confidence;\n(b) a resolution has been passed, by the decision making body concerned, excluding the public during the transaction of an item of business where it is likely, in view of the nature of the item of business, that if members of the public were present during the transaction of that item, exempt information would be disclosed to them;\n(c) a resolution has been passed, by the decision making body concerned, excluding the public during an item of business where it is likely, in view of the nature of the item, that if members of the public were present during the transaction of that item, the advice of a political adviser or assistant would be disclosed to them; or\n(d) a lawful power is used to exclude a member or members of the public in order to maintain orderly conduct or to prevent misbehaviour at a meeting.\n(2) A resolution under paragraph (1) (b) shall—\n(a) identify the proceedings, or part of the proceedings, to which it applies; and\n(b) state by reference to the descriptions in Schedule 12A to the 1972 Act (access to information: exempt information) the description of exempt information giving rise to the exclusion of the public.\n(3) An exclusion of the public under sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of paragraph (1) shall apply only to the part or parts of the meeting during which it is likely that confidential information, exempt information or the advice of a political adviser or assistant would be disclosed.\n(4) Nothing in these Regulations shall authorise or require a local authority to disclose to the public or make available for public inspection a part of any document if, in the opinion of the proper officer, it is likely that confidential information, exempt information or the advice of a political adviser or assistant would be disclosed.\n(5) Where a member of an executive or an officer makes an executive decision in accordance with executive arrangements, nothing in these regulations shall require documents relating to that decision to be disclosed to the public, or made available for public inspection where—\n(a) the documents contain confidential information;\n(b) in the opinion of the member or officer making the decision, disclosure of the documents would be likely to give rise to disclosure of exempt information; or\n(c) in the opinion of the member or officer making the decision, disclosure of the documents would be likely to give rise to disclosure of the advice of a political adviser or assistant.\n(6) Nothing in these Regulations shall require a decision making body or decision maker to permit the taking of any photographs of any proceedings, or the use of any means to enable persons not present to see or hear any proceedings (whether at the time or later), or the making of any oral report on any proceedings as they take place.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "am",
      "affecting": "uksi/2002/716",
      "affecting_title": "The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Amendment Regulations 2002"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/3272/regulation/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T08:08:54.462057+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}