NEXT week’s planning committee meeting of Craven District Council will take place at the council offices in Skipton after emergency legislation to allow online meetings came to an end.

It will also mean the annual council meeting on May 25 will have to take place in the larger venue of Gargrave Village Hall.

A legal challenge by Hertfordshire County Council, Lawyers in Local Government and the Association of Democratic Services Officers failed to achieve an extension of the legislation, which meant a return to physical meetings from last Friday.

Councillor Richard Foster, leader of Craven District Council, said: “It is disappointing that councils have been instructed that face to face meetings must resume, and that we are unable to continue holding remote meetings. However, we have been given no choice in the matter. Therefore, face to face council meetings will resume.

“Risk assessments have been carried out and we will have measures in place to ensure the meetings are as safe as possible, with social distancing, masks and sanitiser, as well as thorough ventilation of the meeting rooms.”

He added: “We are still examining options to see which is the best way to hold hybrid meetings, where some officers and members of the public would be able to attend virtually.”

A report is due to go to the council’s policy committee in June.

Limited space for public will be available at both Monday’s planning meeting and at the the annual meeting.