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Annual Parish Meetings
A parish meeting is a meeting made up of the local government electors in a particular parish and is held to discuss 'parish affairs' which have no statutory definition.
Parish affairs can be any item or topic that relates or affects to the parish of Hundon. It is an ideal forum for the parish council to engage with local residents. It is also the ideal forum for residents of Hundon to voice their views and concerns.
The public have a statutory right to attend the parish meeting but only the government electors at a parish meeting have the right to vote at the meeting.
Annual Parish Meeting 2020
The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”) come in to force on 4 April. Broadly speaking, the 2020 Regulations enable local councils to hold remote meetings (including by video and telephone conferencing) for a specified period until May next year. They also remove the requirement to hold an annual meeting. The 2020 Regulations apply to local council meetings, committee and sub-committee meetings in England. Separate legislation is anticipated for Wales.
The COVID-19/ Coronavirus pandemic and the unprecedented in peacetime Government measures in response to the crisis (e.g. prohibitions on gatherings, social distancing, self-isolation and shielding of those deemed to be the most vulnerable) have meant that the requirement for local authorities to hold public meetings in person with all members present in one place cannot be met. The statutory requirements for meetings are mainly contained in the Local Government Act 1972 (“the 1972 Act”) and the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (“the 1960 Act”).
Regulation 3 pf the above act provides clarity that parish councils in England are included within the definition of “local authority” in the 2020 Regulations. Parish meetings are not included within the definition and, as such, there is nothing permitting them to meet remotely. In NALC’s view, the current Government guidance means that parish meetings should not take place in person, including the annual meeting of the electors.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 2021
Will be held on Wednesday 28th April 2021 via Zoom. The Agenda will be available 7 working days before the meeting.
If you are an organisation that would like to submit a report/attend the meeting, please contact the clerk at clerk.hundonpc@outlook.com.
Prior to 2020
All Parish Councils in England are required by law to hold an Annual Parish Meeting between March 1 and June 30 each year and must not start before 6 o'clock in the evening or be held in premises licences for the sale of alcohol. The meeting allows the Parish Council and local Community Organisations to explain what they have been doing over the past year and what plans they might have for the coming year. It is also the forum for electors to have their say on anything which they consider is important to the people of the parish.
Anyone may attend but only registered electors may ask questions. An elector may also make suggestions and comment on anything pertinent to the people of Hundon - this will be welcomed and it is the whole purpose of the meeting. Normally the Chairperson of the Parish Council will chair the meeting otherwise the meeting will elect a Chairperson from amongst those electors present. It is also usual for Parish Councillors to attend and speak as necessary but the purpose of the meeting is to enable the electors to have their say. Councillors will listen and as electors themselves, also have the opportunity to raise questions and make comments if they wish.
Public notice of the meeting must be given at least seven clear days beforehand and must specify the time and place of the intended meeting, specify the business to be transacted at the meeting; and be signed by the person or persons convening the meeting.
The Chairman of the parish council, if present, must preside at a parish meeting and if he is absent the Vice-Chairman must if present preside. If none of the above are present the parish meeting must appoint a person to take the chair of that meeting.