What legislation outlines access requirements for council meetings?

The 1985 Act, specifically known as the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, is the legislation that establishes access requirements for council meetings in the UK. This act was designed to improve transparency in local government by ensuring that meetings of local councils are accessible to the public. It stipulates that local authorities must provide public access to documents and ensure that meetings are held in a way that allows for public attendance and participation, reinforcing the principles of open government.

While other pieces of legislation like the Freedom of Information Act and the Local Government Act have provisions related to transparency and information-sharing, they do not specifically focus solely on council meeting access in the same manner as the 1985 Act. The Open Meetings Act is also noteworthy but is primarily relevant to jurisdictions outside the UK. Thus, the 1985 Act remains the most relevant legislation regarding access to local council meetings in this context.