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What are the rules governing Council Meetings?
A council can form committees with delegated powers for specific purposes, but they must comply with the protocols for public attendance, minute-taking and notice of meetings that apply to the main council. A committee may form sub-committees. A council can also appoint advisory groups that are exempt from these constraints (to give flexibility) but these have no delegated powers and cannot make financial decisions. Such groups may contain members who are not councillors.
The Parish Clerk is responsible for organising and keeping a record of every meeting.
Public notice of meetings of a council and its committees must be given at least three clear days, excluding Sundays and Public holidays, beforehand. It must be displayed in a "noticeable place" in the Parish, giving time, date and venue. A summons (not an optional polite request) to attend the meeting is also issued, specifying the agenda, to every member of the council.
Our Council on average meets once a month, except for the summer holiday and Christmas periods. Meetings are held in the Kettleburgh Village Hall at 19.30, unless otherwise stated in the agenda.
What is an Agenda?
The Agenda will tell you as well as councillors what business is to be done ('transacted') at a meeting and where and when it will take place. It will often be published online (this website) in draft before being made Final. The Clerk posts Final Agendas on the Parish Noticeboard (junction of The Street and Ling's Field) and online. They are usually posted a week in advance.
Items not on the agenda cannot be formally debated or resolved at a meeting. Items brought up by the attendance of the general public or in correspondence can be discussed, but formal resolutions on these must be deferred to the next meeting, so that due notice can be given, if they are not covered by the existing agenda.
What are Minutes?
Minutes are an after the event record of what business was done at a meeting. As such, they are written in the past tense. Parish Council Minutes record important points and decisions only, not detailed dialogue. Generally the names of contributors are not included because after publication the Minutes become the sole legal record and cannot then be amended to remove a name.
Like Agendas, they must be displayed in a 'noticeable place' in the parish (our Noticeboard), and they are now also displayed on this website. The Clerk posts them in Draft form as soon after a meeting as is practicable. 'Draft' status conveys to you that the minutes may be amended until they are approved and ratified (made 'Final') at the following meeting. The page numbering of minutes is consecutive through the year, as they are conceptually part of a 'minute book'. Each agenda item is given a consecutive reference number for audit purposes.
How can I see the Agendas and Minutes?
Please find meeting dates, agendas and minutes for the current year on the Current Meetings page. For all years prior to this year, please look at the Archived Meetings page.
Can I go to the meetings and might I be recorded?
Every meeting is open to the public and media. Residents are welcome and encouraged to attend and can speak during the public forum at the beginning. During this forum reports might also be heard from your District and County Councillors. The rest of the meeting forms the business of the Parish Council. Members of the public and media are generally welcome to stay on for this, but may not contribute unless invited to do so by the Chair. The exception to staying on is confidential items - for these, the Council formally resolves to exclude the public and press on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest. Please be aware that filming and other reporting might take place at the meeting, but the council no longer routinely records meetings. Find more detail in the Media Policy and Protocol for Reporting.
(We are not currently producing Newsletters (Jan'24))