12 September 2022SLCC has been given a legal update from Roger Taylor of Wellers Hedleys Solicitors, about the days of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II:
“Most legal advisers to local councils have been advising that the days of mourning should be excluded from the period of notice on the basis that section 242 of the Local Government Act 1972 refers to clear days and excludes days of public mourning.
Richard Harwood KC in an article published on the 10 September 2022 argues that as the days of mourning have not been officially proclaimed as days of public mourning, then, apart from the Bank Holiday on 19 September, no other day need be excluded for the purpose of giving notice. Like most legal questions this argument depends upon interpretation of various statutes.
Many local councils have postponed their meetings, and unless there is very urgent business which cannot be moved to another date it is considered that meetings should be postponed until after 19 September “.
