Liberal Democrats SLAM Government's decision to end remote meetings for local government.
Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP Secretary of State and Rt Hon Luke Hall MP
Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
Dear Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP & Rt Hon Luke Hall MP
We write to you as Liberal Democrat Leaders and Group Leaders on councils across England. The government’s decision not to extend legislation allowing councils to meet flexibly after May 7th 2021 is wrong and should be reversed as a matter of urgency.
Local councils across the country have worked hard to ensure that virtual meetings are accessible and inclusive, with many examples of increased public participation since their inception. We take the public health of our residents, employees, and elected members very seriously, and have grave concerns over the practical and health implications of what the government is proposing. Praising the work of local councils in your letter as “magnificent” is meaningless if poorly thought-through decisions such as these are dictated to local authorities, with zero consultation or input.
And we know this opposition extends beyond our party – we agree with the Conservative Chair of the LGA who has been very clear in his statement: “This decision is extremely disappointing. The Government’s own roadmap out of lockdown states that indoor gatherings or events - organised by a business, charity, public body or similar organisation - cannot be organised until May 17 at the earliest. Yet councils will be unable to hold remote meetings from May 7. MPs will retain the right to participate remotely until at least June 21 but the powers-that-be in the House of Commons will not make time available to legislate for councillors to do the same.”
We call on you to allow councils to choose on this matter and are happy to meet with you or your officials to discuss how this can be done.
Yours,
Jerry Roodhouse, Opposition Leader, Warwickshire and Rugby Borough
Lucy Nethsingha, Opposition Leader, Cambridgeshire
Stuart Bray, Leader, , Hinckley & Bosworth
Mike Bell, Deputy Leader, North Somerset Council
Bridget Smith, Leader, South Cambs DC
James MacCleary, Leader, Lewes District Council
Ian Shires, Opposition Leader, Walsall Council
Bob Smytherman, Opposition Leader, Worthing Borough
Cllr Ben J Martin, Cabinet member for Housing/ Group Leader, Swale Borough Council
Chris Stanbra, Lib Dem Group Leader, Northamptonshire County Council, North Northamptonshire Shadow Authority
Christopher Holley, Opposition Leader, Swansea City Council
Keith Aspden, Leader, City of York Council
Keith Baldry, Opposition Leader, South Hams District Council
Cllr Mark Cory , Leader, Colchester Borough Council
Keith House, Leader, Eastleigh Borough Council
David Worden, Leader, North Devon Council
Sarah Nelmes , Leader, Three Rivers District Council
Richard Kemp, Opposition Leader, Liverpool
Luke Cawley-Harrison, Opposition Leader, London Borough of Haringey
Dr James Walsh, Leader, Arun District
Dr James Walsh, Opposition Leader, West Sussex CC
Richard Flemming, Borough Councillor, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council
Cllr John McKay, A hardworking councillor., South Hams District Council
Allan Knox, Opposition Leader, Ribble Valley Borough Council
Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader, London Borough of Sutton
Councillor Kris Brown, Opposition spokesperson. Candidate for Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Liverpool City Council
Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Opposition Leader, Hertfordshire County Council
Stephen Giles-Medhurst , Deputy Leader, Three Rivers Council
Amanda Hopgood, Opposition Leader, Durham County Council
Joe Harris, Leader, Cotswold District Council
Phil Gilchrist, Lib Dem Group Leader, Wirral
Alan Tormey, Councillor, Liverpool
Roger Hayes, Opposition Leader, Bolton Metropolitan Borough
Stewart Golton, Group Leader, Leeds City Council
Julie Morris, Opposition Leader, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Cllr Margaret Ratcliffe, Opposition Leader, Halton Borough
Howard Sykes, Vice Chair and Lib Dem Leader at the LGA, Oldham
Ben Chapelard, Opposition Leader, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Donald Whyte, Group Leader, Runnymede Borough Council
Penny Otton, Opposition Leader, Suffolk County Council
David Whipp, Deputy Leader, Pendle Borough Council
Caroline Kerr, Leader, Royal Borough of Kingston
Sandra Dunn, Leader, Spelthorne Borough Council
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, Opposition Leader, Wokingham Borough Council
Rod Fletcher, Opposition Leader, Cheshire East
Cllr Paul Clark, Deputy Leader, North Hertfordshire District Council
Peter Thornton, Deputy Leader, Cumbria County Council
Ros Wyke, Leader, Mendip District Council
Cllr. David Franks, Opposition Leader, Luton Borough Council
Barry O'Leary, Deputy Leader, Mendip District Council
Alison Barnes, Deputy Leader, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Emily Smith, Leader, Vale of White Horse District Council
Liz Tucker, Group Leader, Worcestershire County Council
Cllr Celia Dowden , Opposition Leader, Test Valley Borough Council
Cllr Alan Dowden, Councillor , Hampshire County Council
Cllr Anita OakleyBA(Hons) MA, Opposition Leader, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
Cllr Fran Oborski MBE, LibDem Group Leader, Wyre Forest District Council
Cllr Nick Ireland, Opposition Leader, Dorset
Robert Barr, Opposition Leader, Warrington Borough Council
Cllr Peter Snelling, Opposition Leader, Central Bedfordshire Council
Pat Marsh, Opposition Leader, Harrogate Borough Council
Cllr Paul Follows, Deputy Leader, Waverley Borough Council
David Tutt, Leader, Eastbourne Borough Council
Claire Young, Opposition Leader, South Gloucestershire Council
Maggie Tyrrell, Opposition Deputy Leader, South Gloucestershire Council
Cllr Douglas McCall , Group Leader , Milton Keynes Council
Peter Taylor , Elected Mayor, Watford Borough Council
Stephen Robinson, Leader, Chelmsford City Council
Andy Graham, Opposition Leader, West Oxfordshire District
Chris Brown, Opposition Leader, South Norfolk Council
Carole Storey, Committee member, Liverpool
David Gulland, Councillor, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
Dine Romero, Leader, Bath & North East Somerset Council
Anne-Marie Curry, Minority Opposition Leader, Darlington Borough Council
Sarah Butikofer, Leader, North Norfolk District Council
Jon Hunt, Group leader, Birmingham City Council
Lucille Thompson, Leader, Winchester City Council
Ricky Duveen, Opposition Leader, Reading
David Howarth, Group Leader, South Ribble Borough
Mayor Dave Hodgson, Leader, Bedford Borough Council
Lorna Dupre, Opposition Leader, East Cambridgeshire District Council
Chris White, Leader, St Albans City & District
Susan Prochak, Deputy Leader, Rother District Council
Cllr Alan Connett, Leader, Teignbridge District Council
Susan Juned, Opposition Leader, Stratford on Avon District Council
Virginia Taylor, Leader, Eden District Council
Eileen Wragg, Liberal Democrat Group in Alliance with others, East Devon District Council
Mary Marshall, Deputy Leader, Elmbridge
Giles Archibald, Leader, South Lakeland District Council
Adrian Moss, Opposition Leader, Chichester District Council
Peter Harris, Chair of Town Environment Committee Southwell, Southwell Town Council