Proposed Standing Orders for Winford Parish Council

MEETINGS

1.   The Statutory Annual Parish Council Meeting in an election year shall be held on or within 14 days following the day on which the councillors elected take office. In a year which is not an election year the Annual Parish Council Meeting shall be held on such day in May as the Council may direct.

2.   In addition to the Annual Parish Council Meeting at least three other statutory meetings shall be held in each year on such dates as the council may direct. If the Council becomes a Quality Council there should be at least six meetings a year.

CHAIR PERSON

3.   The person presiding at a meeting may exercise all the powers and duties of the Chair in    relation to the conduct of the meeting.

QUORUM

4.   Four Councillors shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Council.

VOTING

5.   If a member so requires, the clerk shall record the names of the councillors  who voted on any question and how they voted. This must be done before moving on to the next business

6.   In the case of a tied vote the Chair may give a casting vote whether or not s/he voted the        first time. 

7.   In the case of a tied vote for election of Chair, the person presiding must give a casting      vote

ORDER OF BUSINESS

8.    At each Annual Parish Council Meeting the first business shall be :

       a)   to elect a Chair of the Council

       b)   to receive the Chair’s declaration of acceptance of office or to decide when it shall                   be received.

       c)   in an election year to fill any vacancies left through insufficient nominations

       d)   to decide when any outstanding declarations of acceptance of office and written                        undertakings to observe the code of conduct shall be received           

9.    At every other meeting the first business shall be :

       a)   to appoint a Chair if the Chair and Vice-Chairs are absent 

       b)   if necessary to receive her/his declaration of acceptance of office  

10.   At every meeting the minutes of the previous meeting shall then after consideration be approved for signature by the person presiding, as a correct record. Corrections to the minutes shall be made by resolution and each page must be initialled by the Chair.

11.   Business expressly required by statute shall then be dealt with.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

12     All members must observe the code of conduct which was adopted by this Council on     14/05/07 and of which a copy is attached to these standing orders.

INTERESTS

13.   If a member has a personal interest as defined by the code of conduct, s/he shall disclose  the nature of the interest prior to discussion of the relevant matter. 

14.    If a member who has declared a personal interest then considers it to be and declares a prejudicial interest, s/he must withdraw from the room during consideration of the relevant matter.

15.    The clerk shall be required to compile and hold a register of members’ interests in            accordance with agreement reached with the Monitoring Officer of the Responsible                 Authority and/or as required by statute.

INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS

16.    All minutes kept by the Council shall be open for inspection by any member of the Council at such reasonable time as agreed between the clerk and the councillor.

ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS TO MEETINGS

17.    The public and press shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council which may,             however, temporarily exclude them by means of the following resolution:

      “In view of the special/confidential nature of the business about to be transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the press and the public are temporarily excluded, and they are instructed to withdraw”

18.   A member of the public shall speak by invitation only, and will not be entitled to vote.

DELEGATION OF POWERS TO THE CLERK

19.    As the Proper Officer the clerk is empowered to take decisions, after consulting where     possible with the relevant councillor/s,  in cases of emergency/urgency.

20.    In cases where the planning time table requires a response prior to the scheduled council meeting, the clerk is empowered  to make planning decisions after consultation with the relevant councillor/s.

WORKING PARTIES

21.   All Working Parties set up by the Council shall report back regularly to the full                 Council on decisions to be made.

GENERAL

22   None of the above standing orders may be suspended by resolution in relation to any          specific item of business

23.  A copy of these standing orders shall be given by the clerk  to each member of the             Council when s/he makes her/his declaration of acceptance of office. 

24.   These standing orders shall be reviewed every four years.