Ordinary meetings
Para 9, Schedule 12, Local Government Act, 1972 requires that, at least three clear days* before a meeting of the full Council: -
· notice of the time and place must be fixed in a conspicuous place in the parish (often the village noticeboard)
·
*do not count Sundays or public holidays
Additionally, the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities requires councils (with a turnover of £25,000 or less) to publish not less than three days before the meeting the agendas and supporting papers on its website (see paras 10 & 30).
Extraordinary meetings
The rules are broadly the same, except the notice must be signed by whoever called the meeting (i.e. the Chairman or two councillors) and must specify the business to be transacted.
Committee meetings
Notice can be given at the time a committee meeting is called (providing the Council’s standing orders do not preclude this).
Sub-committees are not required by law to be held in public, but it is recommended that they are and that the same notice is given as for committees.
See SALC quick guide to Committee Requirements.
In most circumstances, the press and public will be entitled to attend meetings of a parish council or a committee of a parish council. In the interest of openness and transparency, it is also recommended that councils extend this to meetings of a sub-committee, unless it is one dealing with staffing matters when the business is inevitably going to be of a confidential nature.
The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, 1960 allows the press and public to be excluded from a meeting if it considers the publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest due to the confidential nature of the business, or other special reason. This must be a resolution of the council and must specify the reason.
This subject is addressed in paragraph 31 of LTN 5, and on pages 141-2 of the NALC publication Local Councils Explained examples of when private (or ‘in-camera’) sessions might be appropriate and suggested wording of resolutions are shown, such as: -
-
legal advice
-
lease negotiations
-
confidential staffing matters
Exclusion of the public means all of them, not an individual or a specific group, although an individual may be invited to address the council, such as a solicitor or an officer.
A member of the public (or councillor) acting improperly or in a disorderly manner may be excluded where necessary by following the process outlined in model standing order 2.
The general entitlement for the public to film or record meetings does not extend to a private session.
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