<p>Virtual planning meetings are set to cease after May 6, after members of the planning industry lost a High Court case against the government. </p> <p>In a legal challenge, Hertfordshire County Council, the Association of Democratic Service Officers and Lawyers in Local Government cited existing legislation in an attempt to allow remote council meetings to continue.</p> <p>The planners pointed to the Local Government Act 1972 which sets out provisions for meetings. But the High Court ruled that this legislation did not permit local authorities to hold meetings virtually.</p> <p>In a letter to council leaders, Luke Hall, minister for regional growth and local government, referred to the High Court’s conclusion that existing law “specifies that council meetings must take place in person at a single, specified, geographical location and being ‘present’ at such a meeting involves physical presence at that location”. </p> <p>Hall wrote that the judgement – although centring only on the interpretation of “meetings” within the 1972 legislation – meant that local authorities would need to return to meetings in-person after May 6 “and you should continue to prepare accordingly”. </p> <p>With the pandemic continuing, Hall acknowledged councils’ concerns about face-to-face meetings. He recommended local authorities follow updated government …