(The Chairman, in the following context, may be either male or female as shown in the Oxford Dictionary and no bias is intended.)
The Parish Council, not to be confused with the Parish Church Council, was first formed in March 1932. From the early
beginnings with six councillors we now have ten and a Clerk.
The Councillors are either elected by the village electorate or co-opted through a laid down procedure.
Full Council meet on the third Wednesday of each month in the Village Hall commencing at 7.30pm
A further meeting is normally held on the first Wednesday of each month and Council try and restrict the business of this
meeting to planning matters only. If no new planning is received this meeting is not normally held. As the make up of this
meeting is the members of full Council we can also discuss other urgent matters at this meeting.
Each meeting is preceded by an invitation to hold an open session. Any member of the public may speak during this session
and it is the public’s only opportunity to address the Councillors. As matters raised may not previously have been known
about no Councillor or the Clerk have to respond to a question raised.
If you have a problem with any matter affecting council business, a planning application, any suggestions that council might
wish to consider in the future, this is the time to make your views known. The matter might then be placed on a future Agenda
or your views expressed in favour or against a matter being discussed. Again Council are not obliged to air your views but their
duty is to act in the best interests of the Parish they represent. Your views may not however be the views of everyone.
Agenda for meetings are sent out in the week preceding the meeting date and only items on that agenda may be discussed and
decisions made. There is no any other business on our agenda as due notice of the item must be included on the agenda.
If possible no meetings are held in August.
The Annual Parish Meeting or Annual Parish Assembly is normally held on the first Wednesday in April each year.
The meeting is normally preceded by a talk and discussion of a topic of interest to our electorate.
Reports are given by the Chairman – report on the last 12 months business
The Clerk – report on the last audited financial year.
As a result of a question posed at the 2006 meeting it is proposed to give
an overview of the year just ended but this will not have been audited or approved by Council.
Our County Councillor.
Our District Councillors.
The Parish Councils nominated School Governor.
This is followed by an open session to discuss any matter related to Council business.
The Annual Parish Meeting is NOT a Council meeting and no matters can be agreed at this meeting. A Councillor may, however,
agree to have a matter placed on a future Agenda.
The Parish Council Annual General Meeting is the meeting of full Council on the third Wednesday in May. Whilst it is
preceded by an open session where anyone may comment, the meeting, unlike most AGM’s of organisations, is restricted
to discussion by Councillors only. The Chairman and Vice-chairman are elected and the composition of Committees is also made.
The Chairman of the Parish Council, may attend any Committee meeting. If attending they must also Chair that meeting. If the
Chairman’s name is not included on a committee that committee elect a chairman from within that number.
Only Councillors may speak during a Council meeting although the Clerk may be given opportunity to speak if asked. Invited
speakers, County or District Councillors may also speak if permission is granted. It is therefore important to ‘have your say’
during any open session. The Chairman, with agreement, may close a meeting to hear a view from the public if it is deemed
beneficial and then re-open the meeting. This is not a regular occurrence and may be refused. Anyone disrupting a meeting by
speaking may be asked to leave.
If a Councillor has reason to believe they have an interest in any matter they are obliged to declare that interest and take no
part in any discussion or vote. They would generally leave the meeting so that free speech is not inhibited if they were to remain.
Non members of Council may be excluded if the discussion is deemed to be prejudicial to Council or a member, or of a nature that
would be beneficial to a business competitor in the case of deciding contracts etc.
Council elections are held every fourth year and the next elections are due in 2007. In our case if more than ten names are put
forward an election will be necessary. If ten or less names are put forward they are elected without the need for a vote.
If there is a shortfall co-option procedures may be brought into effect.
After this any vacancy must be publicised and if more candidates are named a by-election will be necessary. If ten members of
the public write to insist on an election one must be held even if no names are put forward – a costly and wasted exercise.
If no election is necessary names may be submitted for consideration by co-option by Council. This could lead to a name being
submitted that Council do not approve. Further information can be obtained from the Election Officer at East Hampshire District
Council or more informally from our Clerk.
Your Councillors are there for your benefit but they do sometimes need advising that something is amiss or could be improved.
As a responsible citizen it would help Council if any such matter is brought to their attention. This is generally carried out
by contacting the Clerk or a Councillor. One anomaly regarding this contact is regarding planning matters that you yourself wish
to promote. A Councillor, by communicating with you on a specific matter, may prejudice their position and have to Declare an
Interest and not be able to speak when the item is on the agenda. A Councillor may speak with you in general terms but not specific.
This ruling is often hard to understand and a Councillor can be considered to be ‘rude’ in not hearing you out. This is rarely the
case and more likely to be the Councillor protecting their position at future meetings. A similar situation occurs if a Parish
Councillor is also a District Councillor. If they take part in Parish discussion they could bar themselves from discussing the
matter at Council. For a list of your current councillors, click
here
Why not come and see for yourself what your Parish Council does. You would be most welcome – as would any ideas that will improve
our village.