CPALC

A: Residents have the right to attend all Parish Council meetings. You do not have the right to speak during the formal Parish Council meeting but it is best practice for a period to be set aside for public question time (normally referred to as the Public or Open Forum) before the start of the meeting when the public should be allowed to ask questions or make statements on any issue affecting the community.

Individual Councils may have rules that specify the business that you may raise and how long you may speak. The Chairman controls this session which will not be minuted but the Clerk should record notes of the issues raised.

Related Questions...

• Q: At our Annual Parish Council Meeting in May the Clerk was over-ruled by the Chairman who insisted that the Clerk take the chair
• Q: I attended a Parish Council meeting for the discussion on social housing provision. When a Parish Councillor tried to propose that there should be social housing for some of our young families, the Chairman would not allow him to do so. Is this fair?
• Q: I disagree with the Parish Council giving money to the village hall. Is it right for them to use my council tax for this?
• Q: Is it correct that we can hold a referendum in the village?
• Q: What’s the difference between the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council and the Annual Parish Meeting?