Question

What are the legal duties that an officer of a Parish meeting should uphold

Answer 1

Having thought about this again, there are two definitions of what constitutes a Parish meeting.  One is a meeting of the electors of the Parish which is normally held annually (although it could be held more than once per year)  to discuss parish affairs. There is no statutory definition of what constitutes a “parish affair”.  Ballots can be taken, but such a meeting does not hold formal powers as such or operates a budget.

The other is (as DavetheClerk refers to) - a regular meeting of electors residing in the Parish which functions as an alternative to a Town or Parish Council where there are no Elections and his answer below applies as  Parish Meetings operating instead of a Parish Council do have limited powers - these cover

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Allotments:  Bus Shelters Burials: ( a parish meeting is a burial authority) .  Cemeteries and crematoria: Charities:  Churchyards:  Commons:  Land: Lighting:  Rights of Way:  Village Greens: War Memorials:

 

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A meeting of the parish could be convened by any six local government electors of the parish, and there is no obligation for a Parish Council Clerk to attend. The chair of the nearest Town or Parish Council is not even obliged to run the meeting.  I would suggest that whoever chairs it should ensure the following have been met before declaring it open.

Public notice of the meeting was given at least 7 clear days beforehand
Proceedings don't commence earlier than 6 o’clock in the evening
Attendees of the parish meeting  appoint a person to take the chair, if a chair or vice chair or parish councillors decline to chair the meeting.
If no prior parish meeting has taken place in a given year, the meeting is held between 1st March and 1st June.

Sufficient numbers of parish electors are present before any poll taken place if called.

Answer 2

By officer, I presume you are referring to the Chair, as that would normally be the only officer of a parish meeting. If there is no parish council, the chair of the parish meeting and the proper officer of the district council act together as the Parish Trustees, but they take their instructions from the meeting. They are expected to ensure that all legal formalities and processes are observed, such as proper record-keeping, accounts if the meeting receives or spends money, annual returns etc, however, they have very few specific duties apart from these.

Comments

Under what circumstances would a Parish meeting receive money?

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When it's acting as the local administration in a parish that doesn't have a parish council.