Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if district councils are obliged to set a rate in public; and if she will make a statement. [73570]
§ Mr. Paul MurphySection 23 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 requires that every meeting of a district council shall be open to the public. A council may, by resolution, exclude the public from a council meeting whenever publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest, for example, in the case of meeting at which confidential business is to be transacted or for other special reasons defined by the council. There is, however, no specific legislation which obliges a district council to set a rate in public.