Kingsbury Episcopi Parish Council
Standing Orders
First Adopted on the 1st September 2010
Amended and re-adopted on the 2nd October 2013.
Re-adopted on the 3rd July 2019.
Amended and re-adopted 2nd December 2020.
Re-adopted on the 12th May 2021.
Amended 5th January 2022.
Amended 24th June 2022
The paragraphs in bold type denotes that these requirements are mandatory
Meetings – Planning and preparation.
1.a) Meetings of the Parish Council shall be held at Kingsbury Episcopi Primary
School at 7.30pm in the evening unless the Council otherwise decides at a
previous meeting with advance notice of a change of location being published. Meetings shall not take place in premises, which at the time of the meeting, are used for the supply of alcohol unless no other premises are available free of charge or at a reasonable cost.
b) When calculating the 3 clear days for notice of a meeting to councilors’ and the
public, the day on which notice was issued, the day of the meeting, a Sunday, a day
of the Christmas break, a day of the Easter break or of a bank holiday or a day
appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning shall not count.
Local Government Act 1972 s270 includes definitions and interpretations
2.The Statutory Annual Parish Council meeting (a) in an election year shall be held
on the first Wednesday following the date of election or within 14 days following the day on which the new councilors take office and (b) in a year which is not an
election year shall be held on the first Wednesday of May. At the Statutory Annual
Parish Council Meeting the Chair and Vice-Chairpersons shall be elected.
3.The annual Precept shall be determined and passed before or at the January meeting each year. The Parish Councils Discretionary Grants Budget shall be determined and passed before or at the March meeting each year. Grant requests should follow the PC grant policy guidance. This is available from the Clerk. Parish amenities/groups requiring larger amounts to be considered within the precept should submit requests no later than November.
4.The Parish Council shall meet on the first Wednesday of each month, unless the
Parish Council decides otherwise at the previous meeting, with the exception of the
month of August when it is common practice that Parish Councils do not hold a meeting. Any amendment to the annual meeting schedule will be published in advance of any changes agreed.
Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chair and Clerk of the
Parish Council.
4.1 Extraordinary Meetings – The Chair may convene an extraordinary meeting of the council at any time or the Vice-chair in the Chairs absence. In addition, if two members sign a requisition that the Council be convened and the Chair (or Vice-chair as the case may be) either refuses or neglects to do so for seven days, then any two members may convene. The two members need not be the same as the requisitioning members
5.The code of conduct adopted by the council shall apply to councilors in respect of
the entire meeting. An interest arising from the code of conduct adopted by the
Council, the existence and nature of which is required to be disclosed by a councilor
at a meeting shall be recorded in the minutes.
Chair of meeting
6.a) The person presiding at a meeting may exercise all the powers and duties of the
Chair in relation to the conduct of the meeting. Subject to standing orders which
indicate otherwise, anything authorised or required to be done by, to or before the
Chairman may in his absence be done by, to or before the Vice-chair.
b) The Chair, if present, shall preside at a meeting. If the chair is absent for a meeting,
the vice-chair, if present, shall preside. If both the Chair and Vice-Chair are absent
from a meeting, a councilor as chosen by the councilors’ present at the meeting shall
preside at the meeting.
Proper Officer
7.Where a statute, regulation or order confers functions or duties on the proper officer of the
Council in the following cases, the clerk shall be the proper officer: –
a) To receive declarations of acceptance of office.
b) To receive and record notices disclosing pecuniary interests.
c) To receive and retain plans and documents.
d) To sign notices or other documents on behalf of the Council.
e) To receive copies of byelaws made by the District Council.
f) To certify copies of byelaws made by the Council.
g) To sign summonses to attend meetings of the Council.
h) To provide a minute book for recording the proceedings of community
meetings.
In any other case the proper officer shall be the person nominated by the Council and, in default of nomination, the clerk.
8.a) The proper officer shall sign and serve on councilors’, by delivery at their email
address, a summons confirming the time, date, venue and the agenda of a meeting of
the Council at least 3 clear days before the meeting.
b) Give public notice of the time, date, venue and agenda at least 3 clear days before a
meeting of the Council.
c)Receive and retain ‘Declarations of acceptance of Office’ from councilors.
Quorum
9.No business may be transacted at a meeting unless at least one third of the whole
number of members of the Council are present and in no case shall the quorum of a
meeting be less than three. Four members shall constitute a quorum.
10.If a quorum is not present when the Council meets or if during a meeting the number of
Councilors’ present and not debarred by reason of a declared pecuniary interest falls below
the quorum, the business not transacted at that meeting shall be transacted at the next
meeting or on such other day as the Chair may fix.
Voting
11.Members shall vote by show of hands, or the Council resolve to hold a signed paper ballot.
12.If a member so requires, the Clerk shall record the names of the members who voted
on any question so as to show whether they voted for or against it. Such a request
shall be made before the vote is taken and before moving onto the next item of
business on the agenda.
13.1) Subject to (2) and (3) below the Chair may give an original vote on any matter put
to the vote, and in the case of an equality of votes may give a casting vote even
though they gave no original vote.
2) If the person presiding at the annual meeting would have ceased to be a member
of the council but for the statutory provisions which preserve the membership of the Chair and Vice-Chair until the end of their term of office he may not give an original vote in an election for Chair.
3) The person presiding must give a casting vote whenever there are an equal
number of votes in an election for chair.
Order of business
14.At each Annual Parish Council meeting the first business shall be: –
a) To elect a Chair.
b) To receive the Chair’s declaration of acceptance of office or, if not then received, to
decide when it shall be received.
c)In the ordinary year of election of the Council to fill any vacancies left unfilled at
the election by reason of insufficient nominations.
d)To decide when any declarations of acceptance of office which have not been
received as provided by law shall be received.
e) To elect a Vice-Chair.
f) To appoint school governors.
g) To appoint committees.
h) To consider the payment of any subscriptions falling to be paid annually.
i) To inspect any deeds and trust instruments in the custody of the Council; and shall
thereafter follow the order set out in Standing Order
15.At every meeting other than the Annual Meeting the first business shall be to
appoint a Chair if the chair and Vice-Chair be absent and to receive such
declarations of acceptance of office (if any) as are required by law to be made, or if
not then received to decide when they shall be received.
16.In every year not later than the meeting at which the estimates for next year are settled the
Council shall review the pay and conditions of service of existing employees (see standing
order 41)
17.After the first business has been completed, the order of business, unless the Council
otherwise decides on the ground of urgency, shall be as follows: –
a) To read and consider the Minutes, provided that a copy has been circulated to each
member not later than the day of issue of the summons to attend the meeting, the minutes
may be taken as read. The minutes of a meeting shall record the names of councilors’
present and absent.
b) After consideration to approve the signature of the minutes by the person
presiding as a correct record.
c)To deal with business expressly required by statute to be done.
d)To dispose of business, if any, remaining from the last meeting.
e) To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay before the Council.
f) To answer questions from Councilors’.
g) To receive and consider reports and minutes of committees.
h) To receive and consider reports from officers of the Council.
i) To authorise the sealing of documents.
j) To authorise the signing of orders for payment.
k) To consider resolutions of recommendations in the order in which they have been notified.
l) Any other business specified in the summons.
m) Any further business brought up for discussion will not be accepted unless: –
>It is business carried forward from a previous meeting where a Standing Order has been passed permitting such business to be discussed.
>It is only an exchange of information.
>The discussion does not require a decision to be passed by the Parish Council.
18.A motion to vary the order of business on the grounds of urgency.
a) may be proposed by the Chair or by any member and, if proposed by the Chair, may be
put to the vote without being seconded, and
b) shall be put to the vote without discussion.
Resolutions moved on notice
19.Except as provided by these Standing Orders, no resolution may be moved unless the
business to which it relates has been put on the Agenda by the Clerk or the Mover has
given notice in writing of its terms and has delivered the notice to the Clerk at least twenty-
one (21) clear days before the next meeting of the Council.
20.The Clerk shall date every notice of resolution or recommendations when received, shall number each notice in the order in which it was received and shall enter it in a book which shall be open to the inspection of every member of the Council.
21.The Clerk shall insert in the summons for every meeting all notices of motion or
recommendation properly given in the order in which they have been received unless the
member giving notice has stated in writing that he intends to move at some later meeting or
that he withdraws it.
22.If a resolution or recommendation specified in the summons is not moved either by the
member who gave notice of it or by any other member, it shall, unless postponed by the
Council, be treated as withdrawn and shall not be moved without fresh notice.
23.If the subject matter of a resolution comes within the province of a committee of the
Council, it shall, upon being moved and seconded, stand referred without discussion to
such committee or to such other committee as the Council may determine for report.
provided that the Chair, if they consider it to be a matter of urgency, may allow it to be dealt
with at the meeting at which it was moved.
24.Every resolution or recommendation shall be relevant to some subject over which the
Council has power or which affects its area.
Resolutions moved without notice
25.Resolutions dealing with the following matters may be moved without notice: –
a) To appoint a Chair of the meeting.
b) To correct the minutes.
c) To approve the minutes.
d) To alter the order of business.
e) To proceed to the next business.
f) To close or adjourn the debate.
g) To refer a matter to a committee.
h) To appoint a committee or any members thereof.
i) To adopt a report.
j) To authorise the sealing of documents.
k) To amend a resolution.
l) To give leave to withdraw a resolution or an amendment.
m) To extend the time limit for speeches.
n) To exclude the public (see order 67)
o) To silence or eject from the meeting a member named for misconduct.
p) To invite a member having an interest in the subject matter under debate to remain.
q) To give consent of the Council where such consent is required by these Standing Orders.
r) To suspend any Standing Order.
s) To adjourn the meeting.
Questions
26.A member may ask the Chair or the Clerk any question concerning the business of the
Council, provided notice of the question has been given to the person to whom it is
addressed before the meeting.
27.No questions not connected with business under discussion shall be asked except during
the part of the meeting set aside for questions.
28.Every question shall be put and answered without discussion.
29.A person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer.
Rules of Debate
30.No discussion shall take place upon the minutes except upon their accuracy. Corrections
to the Minutes shall be made by resolution and must be initialed by the Chair.
31.a) A resolution or amendment shall not be discussed unless it has been proposed and seconded, and, unless proper notice has already been given, it shall, if required by the Chair, be reduced to writing and handed to him before it is further discussed or put to the meeting.
b) A member when seconding a resolution or amendment may, if he then declares his intention to do so, reserve his speech until a later period of the debate.
c)A member shall direct his speech to the question under discussion or to a personal explanation or to a question of order.
d)A speech by the mover of a resolution shall be to the point and the duration shall be at the discretion of the Chair (the mover of a resolution is sometimes allowed a longer time than others)
e) An amendment shall be either:-
i) To leave out words.
ii) To leave out words and insert or add others.
iii) To insert or add words.
f) An amendment shall not have the effect of negativing the resolution before the Council.
g) If an amendment be carried, the resolution, as amended, shall take the place of the
original resolution and shall become the resolution upon which any further amendments
may be moved.
h) A further amendment shall not be moved until the Council has disposed of every
amendment previously moved.
i)The mover of a resolution or of an amendment shall have a right to reply.
j) A member, other than the mover of a resolution, shall not, without leave of the Council,
speak more than once on any resolution except to move an amendment or further amendment, or on an amendment, or on a point of order, or in personal explanation, or to
move a closure.
k) A member may rise to make a point of order or a personal explanation. A member rising
for these purposes shall be heard forthwith. A personal explanation shall be confined to
some material part of a former speech by him which may have been misunderstood.
l)A motion or amendment may be withdrawn by the proposer with the consent of the
Council, which shall be signified without discussion, and no member may speak upon it
after permission has been asked for its withdrawal unless such permission has been
refused.
m)When a resolution is under debate no other resolution shall be moved except the
following: –
i) To amend the resolution.
ii) To proceed to the next business.
iii) To adjourn the debate.
iv) That the question be not put.
v) That a member named be not further heard.
vi) That a member named does leave the meeting.
vii) That the resolution be referred to a committee.
viii)To exclude the public and press.
32.Members may remain seated when speaking through the Chair, addressing other
Councilors’ or answering to a member of the public.
33.a) The ruling of the Chair on a point of order or on the admissibility of a personal explanation shall not be discussed.
b) Members shall address the Chair unless permitted to the contrary.
c)If two or more members indicate, the chair shall call upon each in turn to speak.
d)Whenever the Chair identifies their intent to speak during a debate all other
members shall cease until invited to resume their speech.
Closure
34.At the end of any speech a member may, without comment, move “that the question be not put”, “that the debate be now adjourned”, or “that the Council do not adjourn”. If such motion is seconded the Chair shall put the motion but, in the case of a motion “to put the question”, only if they are of the opinion that the question before the Council has been sufficiently debated. If the motion “that the question be not put” is carried, they shall call upon the mover to exercise or waive his right of reply and shall put the question immediately after that right has been exercised or waived. The adjournment of a debate or of the Council shall not prejudice the mover’s right of reply at the resumption. (Note: Where a meeting is adjourned the subsequent proceedings are part of the original meeting and no new notices or agendas need to be issued except a notification to members do not present at the date of the continuation of the meeting)
Disorderly conduct
35.a) No member shall at a meeting persistently disregard the ruling of the Chair, willfully obstruct business, or behave irregularly, offensively, improperly or in such a manner as to scandalise the Council or bring it into contempt or ridicule.
b) If, in the opinion of the Chair, a member has broken the provisions of paragraph (a) of this order, the Chair 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.
c)If either of the motions mentioned in paragraph (b) is disobeyed, the Chair may suspend
the meeting or take such further steps as may reasonably be necessary to enforce them.
Right of Reply
36.The mover of a resolution shall have a right to reply immediately before the resolution is
put to the vote. If an amendment is proposed the mover of the amendment shall be entitled
to reply immediately before the amendment is put to the vote. A member exercising a right
of reply shall not introduce new matter. After the right of reply has been exercised or
waived, a vote shall be taken without further discussion.
Alteration of Resolution
37.A member may, with the consent of his seconder, move amendments to his own
resolution.
Rescission of previous Resolution
38.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 three members of the Council, or be a resolution moved in pursuance of
the report or recommendations of a committee.
b) When a special resolution or any other resolution moved under the provisions of
paragraph (a) of this order has been disposed of no similar resolution may be moved
within a further six months.
Voting on appointments
39.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 favor of one person.
Casual Vacancy
40.When a casual vacancy is declared by the council, the clerk will contact the Electoral
Officer at the District Council, standard notices for the vacancy will then be posted on the
notice boards as soon as possible after the vacancy is declared. Legislation requires that
14 days must elapse from the date of the notice, by the end of which an election will be held
if 10 or more electors have given written notice to the Electoral Registration Officer, that
they require an election to be organised. (The days are electoral working days, excluding
weekends, bank holidays and special days of thanksgiving and mourning)
At the end of the 14-day period the Electoral Officer will notify the clerk, within 3 working
days either that an election has been properly called by ten electors or that the vacancy
must be filled by co-option.
a) Where no election is required, the council has 35 electoral days in which it must co-opt a
new member to fill the vacancy.
b) The clerk will post a notice seeking candidates to fill the casual vacancy stating that application forms are available from the clerk.
c)The council must consider co-option to fill the vacancy in open session within 35 electoral
days from the date of the ‘Notice of no Election’.
d)After proper notice on the agenda, copies of the application forms should be sent to all
councilors.
e) Voting is normally by a show of hands, but, if the standing orders permit a paper ballot can
be held.
f) The council must, as part of the meeting, resolve by an absolute majority of those present
and voting who to elect to the council. Each candidate must be proposed and seconded by
existing councilors. The successful candidate must have an absolute majority of votes cast
at the meeting. If after the first vote there is not an overall majority, the candidate with the
smallest number of votes is required to drop off the list and a new vote taken, this procedure
continues until a majority is reached. The chair has a casting vote in the event of a tie
between 2 candidates. The casting vote may be chosen by the chair personally or by the
toss of a coin, the chair has no choice but to resolve the tie. The procedure cannot be
carried out after excluding the public or the candidates. It must be done in public.
After conclusion of the voting, the chair will declare that the new councilor has been co-
opted and arrangements should be made for the new member to sign a declaration of office
before the next meeting.
Discussions and resolutions affecting Employees of the Council
41.If at a meeting there arises any question 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 shall be excluded. (See standing order 68)
Resolutions on expenditure
42.a) The Council’s financial regulations shall be reviewed once a year.
b) The Council’s financial regulations may make provision for the
authorisation of the payment of money in exercise of any of the Council’s
functions to be delegated to a committee, sub-committee or to an employee.
43.Any resolution which, if carried, would, in the opinion of the Chair substantially increase the
expenditure upon any service which is under the management of or reduce the revenue at
the disposal of any committee, or which would involve capital expenditure, shall, when
proposed and seconded, stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting
of the Council, and any committee affected by it shall consider whether it desires to report
thereon.
44.Orders for the payment of money shall be authorised by resolution of the
Council and the cheque signed by two members. Online banking payments shall be set up by the Clerk/RFO with two signatories to the account authorising payments as agreed in Council in an adequate timeframe (Within 48 hours of notification from the Clerk that payments are ready for authorisation)
Committees and Sub-Committees
45.The Council may at its Annual Meeting appoint standing committees and may at any other
time appoint such other committees as are necessary, but subject to any statutory
provision in that behalf: –
a) Shall not appoint any member of a committee so as to hold office later than the next Annual
meeting.
b) may appoint persons other than members of the Council to any Committee; and
c)may subject to the provisions of Order 38 above at any time dissolve or alter the membership of a committee.
46.The Chair and Vice-Chair ex officio shall be members of every committee.
47.Every committee shall at its first meeting before proceeding to any other business,
elect a Chair and may elect a Vice-Chair who shall hold office until the next
Annual Meeting of the Council and shall settle its programme of meetings for the Year.
48.The Chair of a committee or the Chair of the Council may summon an additional
meeting of that committee at any time. An additional meeting shall also be summoned on
the requisition in writing of not less than a quarter of the members of the committee. The
summons shall set out the business to be considered at the special meeting and no other
business shall be transacted at that meeting.
49.Every committee may appoint sub-committees for purposes to be specified by the
committee.
50.The Chair and Vice-Chair of the committee shall be members of every sub-committee
appointed by it unless they signify that they do not wish to serve.
51.Except where ordered by the Council in the case of a committee, or by the Council or by
the appropriate committee in the case of a sub-committee, the quorum of a committee or
sub-committee shall be one half of its members.
52.The Standing Orders on rules of debate (except those parts relating to speaking more than
once) and the Standing Order on interests of members in contracts and other matters shall
apply to committee and sub-committee meetings.
Voting in committees
53.Members of committees and sub-committees entitled to vote by show of hands, or if at
least two members so request, by signed ballot.
54.Chair of committees and sub-committees shall in the case of an equality of votes
have a second or casting vote.
Presence of non-members of committees at committee meetings
55.A member who has proposed a resolution which has been referred to any committee of
which he is not a member, may explain his resolution to the committee but shall not vote.
Accounts and financial statement
56.a) Except as provided in paragraph(b) of this standing order or by statute, all accounts for
payment and claims upon the Council shall be laid before the Council.
b) Where it is necessary to make a payment before it has been authorised by the Council,
such payment shall be certified as to its correctness and urgency by the appropriate
officer. Such payment shall be authorised by the committee, if any, having charge of the
business to which it relates, or by the proper officer for payments with the approval of the
Chair or Vice-Chair of the Council
c)All payments ratified under subparagraph(b) of this standing order shall be separately
included in the next schedule of payments laid before the Council.
57.The Clerk shall supply to each member at the ordinary meeting next after the end of the
financial year a statement of receipts and payments.
Estimates/Quotations
58.a) The Council shall approve written estimates/quotations as appropriate at a nominated date as an agenda item.
b) Estimates and/or quotations for work shall be advertised and circulated specifying the
Parish Council’s requirements with a closing dated stated. The work may be awarded to
the successful company, firm or individual which meets the criteria, quality, cost and
response shall be evaluated. A single response for the tendered work will be acceptable
based on satisfactorily meeting the specified criteria.
Interests
59.If a member who has declared a personal interest, then considers the interest to be
prejudicial he shall declare that, and after making any representations, answering
questions or giving evidence relating to that business, he must withdraw from the room or
chamber for the remainder of the consideration of the item to which the interest relates.
60.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 the Council of a pecuniary interest in a
contract and the book shall be open during reasonable hours of the day for the
inspection of any member.
61.If any member has a non-pecuniary interest within the ambit of the National Code of Local
Government Conduct he shall declare it and thereon be invited to withdraw from the
meeting.
62.If a candidate for any appointment under the Council is to his knowledge related to any
member of or the holder of any office under the Council, he and the person to whom is
related shall disclose the relationship in writing to the Clerk. A candidate who fails so to do
shall be disqualified for such appointment and, if appointed, may be dismissed without
notice. The Clerk shall report to the Council or to the appropriate committee any such
disclosure. Where relationship to a member is disclosed standing order 61 shall apply. The
Clerk shall make known the purport of this standing order to every candidate.
Pecuniary Interest; a general interpretation:
A member with a personal or a pecuniary interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member’s judgement of the public interest.
Canvassing of and recommendations by members
63.a) Canvassing of members of the Council or if any committee, directly or indirectly, for any
appointment under the Council shall disqualify the candidate for such appointment. The
Clerk shall make known the purport of this sub-paragraph of this standing order to every
candidate.
b) A member of the Council or of any committee shall not solicit for any person any
appointment under the Council or recommend any person for any such appointment or for
promotion: but, nevertheless, any such member may give a written testimonial of a
candidate’s ability, experience or character for submission to the Council for an application
for appointment.
64.Standing orders nos. 62 and 63 shall apply to tenders as if the person making the
tender was a candidate for an appointment.
Inspection of documents
65.A member may for the purpose of his duty as such (but not otherwise) inspect any
documents in possession of the Council or a committee, and if copies are available, shall,
on request, be supplied for the like purpose with a copy.
66.All minutes kept by the Council and by a committee shall be open for the inspection of any
member of the Council.
Unauthorised activities
67.No member of the Council or any committee or sub-committee shall in the name of 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, instructions or directions unless authorised to do so by the Council
or the relevant committee or sub-committee.
Admission of the public and press to meetings
68.Meetings shall be open to the public unless their presence is prejudicial to the
public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted
or for other special reasons. The public’s exclusion from part or all of a meeting shall
be by a resolution which shall give reasons for the public’s exclusion.
At all meetings of the Council the Chairman will at a convenient time in the transaction of
business, allow any members of the public to make representations, answer questions or
give evidence relating to the matter being transacted at that meeting. This opportunity will
also apply to any member who is otherwise excluded due to a declared interest as per
standing order 62. A brief summary record of a public participation session at a meeting
shall be included in the minutes of that meeting.
69.The Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any
proceedings at which they are entitled to be present.
At the beginning of each meeting, the chair will make an announcement that the meeting
may be filmed or recorded. Any member of the public has the right not to be recorded, they
must let the chairman know at the beginning of the meeting if that is their wish.
70.If a member of the public interrupts the proceedings at any meeting, the Chair may, after
warning, order that the member be removed from the Council chamber.
Confidential business
71.a) No member of the Council or any committee or sub-committee shall disclose to any
person not a member of the Council any business declared to be confidential by the
Council, the committee or the sub-committee as the case may be.
b) Any member in breach of the provisions of paragraph(a) of this standing order shall be
removed from any committee or sub-committee of the Council by the Council.
Liaison with County and District Councillors
72.A notice of meeting shall be sent together with an invitation to attend to the County
Councillor for the county division and to the District Councillor or Councillors for the district
ward.
73.Unless the Council otherwise orders, a copy of each letter ordered to be sent to the County
or District Councillor shall be transmitted to the County Councillor for the division or the
District Councillor for the ward as the case may require.
Planning applications
74.a) The Clerk shall, as soon as it is received enter in a book kept for the purpose the
following particulars of every planning application notified to the Council: –
i) The date on which it was received.
ii) The name of the applicant.
iii) The place to which it relates.
iv) A summary of the nature of the application.
b) The Clerk shall refer every planning application to the Parish Council for Parish Councillors to view the application on the portal and in exceptional circumstances arrange a site visit via the Clerk.
Contracts
75.a) Where it is intended to enter into a contract exceeding £1000 but not exceeding £10,000
in value for the supply of gods or materials or for the execution of works*, the Clerk shall
give at least three weeks public notice of such intention in the same manner as public
notice of meetings of the Council is given. Where the value of the intended contract
exceeds £10,000, similar notice shall be given in addition in such newspapers circulating in
the district as the Council shall direct.
b) Notice of a contract exceeding £10,000 shall state the general nature of the intended
contract and state the name and address of the person to whom tenders are to be
addressed and the last date by which those tenders should reach that person in the
ordinary course of post.
c)Tenders shall be opened by the Clerk or other person to whom tenders are required to be
addressed on the date specified pursuant to paragraph (b) of this order and shall be
reported by the person who opened them to the Council or, where the tenders have been
sought by a committee or sub-committee to that committee or Sub-committee.
d)Neither the Council nor any committee, or sub-committee is bound to accept the lowest
tender.
e) If no tenders are received or if all the tenders are identical the Council may make a
decision thinks fit or appropriate.
f) A notice issued under this standing order shall contain a statement of the effect of
Standing orders no’s 62, 63 and 64.
(Notes: Some standing orders must be made for contracts for the supply of goods or the
execution of works: these standing orders can be extended to other contracts by specifying
them at*)
Code of conduct
76.a) All councillors shall observe the code of conduct adopted by the Council.
b) All new councillors shall undertake training in the code of conduct within 6
months of the delivery of their declaration of acceptance of office.
It is also recommended that existing councillors should also attend this
training if at all possible.
c)Councillors with a disclosable pecuniary interest must leave the room
during the relevant item of business, unless permitted to remain following
the grant of a dispensation.
d)Councillors with an interest in relation to any item of business being
transacted at a meeting may (i)make representations, (ii)answer questions
and (iii)give evidence relating to the business being transacted but must,
thereafter, leave the room, unless permitted to remain following the grant of a
dispensation.
e) Following a written request to the Clerk, the Council may grant a member a
dispensation to participate in a discussion and/or vote on a matter at the
meeting even if he/she has any form of interest (disclosable pecuniary, other)
if the Council believes that the number of members otherwise prohibited
from taking part in the meeting would impede the transaction of the
business: or it is in the interests of the inhabitants in the council’s area to
allow the member to take part; or it is otherwise appropriate to grant a
dispensation. The grant of a dispensation is automatically delegated to the
clerk and any dispensation may permit the councillor to speak, or to speak
and vote.
77.The Council shall deal with complaints of maladministration allegedly committed by the Council or by any office or member in the manner recommended in circular 2/86 issued by the National Association of Local Councils.
Power of General Competence
78.a) Before exercising the power of general competence, a meeting of the full Council
shall have passed a resolution to confirm it has satisfied the prescribed statutory
criteria required to qualify as an eligible parish council.
b) The Council’s period of eligibility begins on the date that the resolution under
standing order 78(a) above was made and has to be renewed by Council resolution
at the annual meeting of the Council that takes place in a year of ordinary elections.
c)After the expiry of its preceding period of eligibility, the Council continues to be
eligible council solely for the purpose of completing any activity undertaken in the
exercise of the Council’s preceding period of eligibility referred to in standing
order 78(b) above.
Variation, revocation and suspension of Standing Orders
79.a) Notwithstanding paragraph headings, any or every part of these standing orders, except that printed in bold type may be suspended by resolution in relation to any specific item of business,
b) The paragraphs in bold type denotes that these requirements are mandatory.
80.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.
Words in italics are to assist or for cross referencing and are not part of the formal Standing
Orders.
Standing Orders to be given to members
81.A copy of these standing orders shall be given to each member by the Clerk upon
delivery to him of the member’s declaration of acceptance of office.
82.These Standing Orders shall be reviewed annually at the May meeting.
Approved: …David Hall………………………………..
Parish Council Chairman
Date: ……6th June 2022………………………..
Original Adopted on the 1st September 2010
Amended and re-adopted on the 3rd October 2012, 2nd October 2013, 3rd July 2019,
2nd December 2020 and 6th July 2022.