Any document which is in the possession or under the control of a principal council and contains material relating to any business to be transacted at a meeting of the council or a committee or sub-committee of the council shall, subject to subsections (2) to (2C) below, be open to inspection by any member of the council.
In relation to a principal council in England, subsection (1) above does not require the document to be open to inspection if it appears to the proper officer that it discloses exempt information.
But subsection (1) above does require (despite subsection (2) above) the document to be open to inspection if the information is information of a description for the time being falling within—
(a) paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to this Act (except to the extent that the information relates to any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract), or
(b) paragraph 6 of Schedule 12A to this Act.
In subsection (2A) above, "the authority" has the meaning given in paragraph 11(2) of Schedule 12A to this Act.
In relation to a principal council in Wales, subsection (1) above does not require the document to be open to inspection if it appears to the proper officer that it discloses exempt information of a description falling within any of paragraphs 12 to 18, 21, 23, 24 and 26 of Schedule 12A to this Act.
The appropriate person may by order amend subsections (2) to (2C) above—
(a) by adding to the descriptions of exempt information to which those subsections refer for the time being; or
(b) by removing any description of exempt information to which those subsections refer for the time being.
In subsection (3) above "the appropriate person" means—
(a) in relation to England, the Secretary of State;
(b) in relation to Wales, the National Assembly for Wales.
Any statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (3) made by the Secretary of State above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
The rights conferred by this section on a member of a principal council are in addition to any other rights he may have apart from this section.