Local Government Bill - Amended at Consideration Stage.pdf (87.39 kb)

Local Government (Meetings and
Performance) Bill

[AS AMENDED AT CONSIDERATION STAGE]

CONTENTS

PART 1
MEETINGS AND PERFORMANCE

Conduct of meetings

1. Meetings: effect of regulations under the Coronavirus Act

Performance improvement

2. Performance: certain rules deemed as not applying (2020/21)
3. Performance: power to alter various rules (2021/22)

PART 2
FINAL PROVISIONS

4. Updated reference to the Department
5. Commencement and short title

Local Government (Meetings and Performance)

A

BILL

TO

Make provision relating to requirements as to meetings and performance of district
councils.

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and
 assented to by Her Majesty as follows:

PART 1

MEETINGS AND PERFORMANCE

Conduct of meetings

Meetings: effect of regulations under the Coronavirus Act

1.—(1) In section 78 (local authority meetings) of the Coronavirus Act 2020, subsection (3) is repealed.
       (2) The Local Government (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of District Council Meetings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 have effect on and after the day on which this Act comes into operation as if never (and are to be treated as having
been made as if not) subject to the provision repealed by this section.

Performance improvement

Performance: certain rules deemed as not applying (2020/21)

2.—(1) The relevant requirements of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 are to be regarded as having no effect (and as having never had effect) with respect to financial year 2020/21.
       (2) The relevant requirements of that Act are—
            (a) section 85 of that Act (together with sections 90(1)(a) and 92(2)(a)(ii) of that Act),
            (b) section 87 of that Act,
            (c) section 92(4) and (5) of that Act.
       (3) The rest of Part 12 of that Act is to be taken to apply (and to have applied)
subject to this section.
        (4) The reference in this section to financial year 2020/21 is to the financial year ending on 31st March 2021.

Performance: power to alter various rules (2021/22)

3.—(1) The Department for Communities may by regulations disapply or modify, with respect to financial year 2021/22, any provision in Part 12 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.
       (2) Regulations under this section made after the start of the financial year in question may contain provision stating that they are to be treated as if having had effect since the start of the financial year in question (and that Part 12 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 is to be regarded as having had effect accordingly since then).
       (3) Regulations under this section may contain supplementary, incidental, consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provision.
       (4) Regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the Assembly.
       (5) In this section—
             (a) the reference to financial year 2021/22 is to the financial year ending on 31st March 2022,
             (b) the reference to financial year 2022/23 is to the financial year ending on 31st March 2023.

PART 2

FINAL PROVISIONS

Updated reference to the Department

4. In section 126 (interpretation) of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, in the definition of “the Department” in subsection (1), for “the Department of the Environment” substitute “the Department for Communities”.

Commencement and short title

5.—(1) This Act comes into operation on the day after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act may be cited as the Local Government (Meetings and Performance)
Act (Northern Ireland) 2021.