PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS
Methwold Parish Council meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month, starting at 7.30pm, in The Fenton Room, St. George’s Hall, Methwold.
Members of the public can attend any Parish Council meeting, as they are public events, unless a resolution has been passed to exclude them (if such items as legal, contractual or personal matters are to be discussed).
Meetings are formal events, not social occasions, and should have a clear purpose to make decisions. The Chairman is in charge of the meeting and the clerk supports the council as it discusses business. Members of the public have no rights to speak at a parish council meeting unless the council authorizes this. Methwold Parish Council do include a five minute “Open Forum” at the start of their monthly meeting where members of the public are invited to speak.
The meeting in May is usually the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council, when the Chairman and Vice-
An additional meeting is held in the spring which is the Annual Parish Meeting, This meeting is called by the Chairman and it is a meeting of parish electors. Strictly speaking electors can set the agenda but in practice these meetings often celebrate local activities and debate current issues in the community.
The minutes must be open for inspection
MEETINGS CHECK LIST
AGENDA
A summons must be sent or delivered to all members of the Council. This must specify business of the meeting.
Any member may place items on the agenda.
No decision may be taken on anything that is not specified.
CONVENING A MEETING
The Chairman may call a meeting of the Parish Council at any time.
Any two members may request that the Chairman calls a meeting.
If the Chairman does not call a within seven days of a request then any two members may call the meeting and specify the agenda.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Every meeting of the Council must be open to the public. The only exception is if the Council resolves to exclude the public and press to discuss issues such as salaries, tenders and personal staffing matters.
The Chairman of the meeting may not exclude the public it must be the decision of the Council.
QUORUM
No business may be transacted unless there is a quorum present.
A quorum is at least one third of the members and never less than three. The quorum for Methwold Parish Council is stated as five in the Standing Orders of the Council.
If more than one third of the members are disqualified the quorum is reduced to one third of those qualified but never less than three.
MINUTES
Minutes must be kept in a minute book. A loose-
The minutes should record names of members present and decisions.
The minutes must be open for inspection on by an elector at any reasonable hour and an elector may make copies.
RESOLUTIONS & VOTING
The Council may adopt Standing Orders to help regulation of a meeting.
Any member may move a resolution in respect of any matter specified on the agenda. A seconder is not essential.
Voting is by a show of hands.
Decisions are made by those present and voting by a simple majority.
The Chairman of the meeting has an original vote and in the case of an equal number of votes a casting vote also.
Any member present may request a recorded vote to be minuted to show how each member voted.
PLANNING
Planning applications are under the control of the Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk. ( BCKLWN ) who sends details of the applications to the Parish Council ( PC ) for consideration. These applications are normally discussed at the regular monthly meetings, unless there is a short timescale , when a meeting of the planning committee is arranged. The PC can recommend that the application should be approved or rejected and they can make comments which go back to the BCKLWN.
The final decision, including whether any conditions should be made regarding the application is made by the BCKLWN
Three clear days notice must be given for any council meeting.
Notices must be posted in a conspicuous place in the parish. In our parish the notices are placed in the three Parish Council Notice Boards (one at St. George’s Hall, one along Main Road , Brookville and one in Methwold Hythe).
NOTICE OF MEETINGS
