To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on his decision not to extend legislative provisions for councils to operate remote or hybrid meetings.

There is no longer justification under the Coronavirus Act 2020 to provide councils with powers to hold remote or hybrid meetings.

I have asked officials to bring forward regulations, as soon as possible, to give councils the flexibility to hold meetings by remote or hybrid means using enabling powers in the Local Government (Meetings and Performance) Act (NI) 2021. I consider this to be the only appropriate vehicle to provide provision for remote/hybrid meetings.