BEECH
PARISH COUNCIL
STANDING ORDERS
The following Standing Orders are intended to facilitate the efficient and expeditious conduct and management of the Council’s business. Nothing contained in these Standing Orders supersedes, removes, replaces or reduces any powers, duties, responsibilities and obligations laid down in the several Acts of Parliament and/or Government Orders and Regulations concerning Local Councils.
Meetings
1. Meetings
of the Council shall be held at intervals and on days and times as decided by
the Council.
2. The Statutory Annual Meeting of the Council shall be held in the month of May but in an election year shall be held within fourteen days of the date that the new Council takes office.
3. The Annual Parish Assembly/Meeting shall be held between 1 March and 1 June inclusive on a day and at a time (but not earlier than 6pm) determined by the Council.
4. The Chairman may call an extraordinary meeting of the Council or a Parish Meeting at any time. In addition if four members sign a requisition that the Council be convened and the Chairman does not do so for seven days any four members may convene.
5. The Chairman if present shall preside at the meeting or in his/her absence the Vice-chairman shall preside.
6. In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice-chairman from the meeting the first business shall be to appoint a Chairman for the meeting and the person so presiding may exercise all the powers and duties of the Chairman in relation to the conduct of the meeting.
7. Three members of the Council shall form a quorum.
8. If a quorum of members of the Council is not present when the meeting convenes or if during a meeting the number of members present falls below the quorum all business not transacted at that meeting shall be carried forward to the next meeting of the Council or to such a day as the Chairman may designate.
9. At each Annual Meeting of the Council and after receiving apologies for absence, the first business shall be:
(a) to elect a Chairman and to receive his/her declaration of acceptance of office;
(b) to elect a Vice-chairman;
(c) to appoint committees and advisory panels and similar bodies;
(d) to appoint representatives to other bodies.
10. After the first business has been completed at the Annual Meeting and after receiving any apologies for absence at other meetings unless the Council so decides for good reason the Council shall consider and approve the signing of the minutes and receive reports of matters arising from those minutes. No discussion shall take place on the minutes except upon their accuracy.
11. Any member who wishes to request that an item of business be included in the agenda for a meeting of the Council shall do so to the Clerk not later than ten days before the date of the meeting.
12. All business and discussion at meetings shall be conducted through the Chair.
13. Every matter requiring decision shall be decided by a majority of those present and voting.
14. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless and exceptionally a majority of members request a ballot.
15. If any member so requests the Clerk shall record the name of the member so as to show whether the member voted for or against the question.
16. The Chairman or person presiding at the meeting may give a first vote and in the case of an equality of votes may give a second or casting vote even though he/she gave no first vote.
17. Where more than two persons have been nominated for any position to be filled by the Council and of the votes given there is not an absolute majority in favour of one person the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and a fresh vote taken and so on until a majority of votes is given in favour of one person.
18. (a) A decision (whether affirmative or negative) of the Council shall not be reversed within six months
except either by a special resolution the written notice whereof bears the names of at least four members of
the Council or by a resolution moved in pursuance of a report or recommendation of a committee or
advisory panel.
(b) When a special resolution has been disposed of no similar resolution may be moved within a further six
months.
May 2002, a copy of which is
annexed to these Standing Orders.
(b) No member shall at a meeting persistently
disregard the ruling of the Chairman of the meeting, wilfully
obstruct business, or behave irregularly, offensively, improperly or in such a manner as to scandalise the
Council or bring it into contempt or ridicule.
(c) If in the opinion of the Chairman a member has broken the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Order the
Chairman shall express that opinion to the Council and thereafter any member may move that the member
named be no longer heard or that the member named do leave the meeting and the motion if seconded shall be put forthwith and without discussion.
(d) If either of the motions mentioned in paragraph (c) is disobeyed the Chairman may suspend the meeting or
take such further steps as may be reasonably necessary to enforce them.
20. If at a meeting there arises any matter relating to the appointment, conduct, promotion, dismissal, salary or
conditions of service of any person employed by the Council it shall not be considered until the Council or
Committee as the case may be has decided whether or not the public should be excluded.
21. (a) The Council may at the Annual Meeting and at any other time and subject to any statutory provision appoint
such committees and advisory panels as are necessary.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Order 18 the Council may dissolve or alter the membership of a committee or advisory panel.
(c) The Chairman and Vice-chairman shall be ex officio members of every committee and advisory panel.
(b) If any member has a non-pecuniary interest in any matter arising at a Council or Committee or Advisory Panel meeting he/she should declare it and if it is clear and substantial should withdraw from the meeting while the matter is under consideration.
(c) The Clerk shall record in a book to be kept for the purpose particulars of any notice given by any member
or any officer of a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest and the book shall be open at any reasonable time for inspection of any member.
23. (a) Canvassing of members directly or indirectly for any appointment under the Council or for any tender or
contract of the Council shall disqualify such candidate or person.
(b) A member of the Council shall not solicit for any person any appointment under the Council or any tender or
contract or recommend any person for such appointment or promotion or tender or contract.
24. No member of the Council shall in the name of the Council or on behalf of the Council :
(a) Inspect any lands or premises which the Council has a right or duty to inspect; or
(b) Issue orders; or
(c) Undertake any other activity
unless authorised to do so by the Council.
25. (a) All minutes kept by the Council shall be open for inspection of any member of the Council.
(b) Electors of the parish may by appointment inspect minutes kept by the Council and may copy or make extracts from them
26. The public shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council which may however temporarily exclude the public
by means of an appropriate resolution.
27. The Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any proceedings at which they
are entitled to be present
28. If a member of the public interrupts the proceedings at any meeting the Chairman may after warning order that
he/she be removed from the meeting.
29. The Council shall make appropriate arrangements for electors of the parish to ask questions of or make
representations to the Council.
34. The Council shall make appropriate orders for the conduct and management of its financial affairs and for the
supervision and audit of accounts.
35. Any or every part of these Standing Orders except those concerning matters laid down in Acts of Parliament and
which are therefore compulsory may be suspended by resolution in relation to any specific item of business.
36. A resolution permanently to add, vary or revoke a Standing Order shall when proposed and seconded stand
adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.
37. A copy of these Standing Orders shall be given to each member by the Clerk upon delivery to him/her of the
member’s declaration of acceptance of office.
Approved by the Council ____________________ Chairman: ___________________
Date: ________________
Issued: January 2007