19 March, 2024

What is a parish meeting?

Parish Meetings and Parish Councils are seen by Government as being an established and valued form of neighbourhood democracy with two main roles: representation and local administration.   Whether a parish council or a parish meeting, they are seen as part of the “local government family”.

Among principal legislation governing parish meetings is the Public Administration Act 1972 and the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Other pieces of legislation also are important such as The Freedom of Information Act 2000

Parish Meetings have a number of functions, powers and rights of notification and consultation (PDF, 80k). (as advised by NALC, the National Association for Local Councils).  Or read the Parish powers and functions.  Extra powers can be acquired by a special Order from the district council.

For further references look under the main heading for Parish Meeting.

Business must be conducted in an open way with properly organised meetings and agendas, and proper records of decisions, the minutes. Agendas alert residents to items important to them while the minutes not only provide a record of the meeting, but also form an archive giving an insight into parish life for future generations.

The Parish Meeting consists of the local government electors for the parish – every person living within the parish old enough to vote has the right to be directly involved in how their parish is run.  They have the right to raise issues to go on the agenda, speak and vote at meetings. There are no parish councillors.

Broughton Parish Meetings are usually held in the lounge at the Broughton, Swinton and Amotherby Sports Hall in Swinton, with one meeting usually in April, the other in October.

At its Business Meeting held on 12.04.12 the Parish Meeting adopted Standing Orders which can be viewed as a PDF file by clicking here.