To ask the Minister for Communities what consultation he has had with local councils in relation to ending hybrid meetings.

Departmental officials wrote to Council Chief Executive Offices on Friday 1st March 2024 informing them of my decision regarding hybrid meetings. The Orders to extend section 78 of the Coronavirus Act, which provided councils with the flexibility to hold meetings by remote/hybrid means during the pandemic, were temporary provisions made under emergency legislation. I did not consider there to be any justification to continue to extend provisions of the Coronavirus Act.

I am committed to providing councils with powers for remote/hybrid meetings and I will be bringing forward regulations, in as quick a timeframe as possible, using powers in the Local Government (Meetings and Performance) Act (NI) 2021.