What is a Parish Meeting?
A Parish Meeting is a public meeting where local government electors of a parish come together to discuss parish affairs with members of the public.
Every English Parish must have a Parish Meeting (Local Government Act 1972, s13(1)), which consist of the local government electors registered for the area for which it is held i.e. all those who have a right to vote.
The meeting must be held each year between 1 March and 1 June, and must be after 6pm in the evening. These meeting is a forum for residents to voice their opinions and concerns about local matters.
However, a Parish Meeting is not the same as a Parish Council meeting. While a Parish Council is a formal body, a parish meeting is a gathering of electors to discuss matters.
Parish meetings provide a platform for community engagement and allow residents to actively participate in local governance.
What happens at Parish Meetings?
It is an opportunity for the Parish Council and organisations and charities within the village to report on their activities during the year and to work together to improve the community in which they live and work. It has also been an opportunity for residents to ask questions and provide feedback to all those groups.
If there is a Parish Council the Chairman of the Parish Council (or vice-chair if the Chairman is unable to attend) must preside. If there is not a Parish Council then a Chairman is elected by the meeting itself. The Agenda is a standard agenda, to give reports on the business of the last 12 months.
The Parish Council reports to its electorate on its activities over the last year and there are usually reports from County and District Councillors and perhaps from any voluntary or local community group. It is also an opportunity for parishioners to question people and organisations on any issues relating to the village.
As the Annual Parish Meeting is not a parish council meeting it is not conducted in the same way or governed by the same rules as a parish council meeting. Members of the public are permitted to make statements on relevant matters during the meeting. Any resolutions passed do not bind the Parish Council.