Annual Parish Meetings

There can be, and often is, confusion between the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.

All Parish and Town Councils throughout England are required by law to hold an Annual Parish Meeting, which must take place between 1st March and the 1st June (inclusive).

The meeting acts as an annual democratic point of communication enabling the Parish Council to explain what it has been doing over the last year and providing an opportunity for the electors to have their say on anything they consider is important to the people of the Parish.

The Annual Parish Meeting is a meeting of all the local government electors for the Parish, which the public are entitled to attend and participate in.

Any registered elector may ask questions of the Council, which will usually be answered by the Chairperson, the Clerk to the Council, or a designated Councillor.

An elector may also make suggestions and comment on anything relevant to the residents of the Parish.

The Chairman of the Parish Council will chair the meeting or in his/her absence the Vice Chairman. Parish Councillors will be present however, the purpose of the meeting is to enable electors to have their say.

A written record of the meeting will be taken and presented at the next Annual Parish meeting for approval.