Should present council set the date and agenda for the Annual Parish Assembly to be held in an election year?

Question

Our clerk wants to set the date and put together the agenda for the Annual Parish Assembly (public meeting) at our parish council's next monthly meeting (February), despite the fact that the Annual Parish Assembly is NOT a parish council meeting and this year there are elections in May? The clerk wants to book speaker and publish an itemised agenda for the APA to be held in April - ie before the May elections. Is this the correct procedure? Could it be seen to be the ideal platform to provide presently serving members of the council who intend to stand for re-election in May tthe opportunity to promote their candidacy with impunity in a public meeting? Also, is it more appropriate for the new incoming council to decide the date and set the agenda for the 2023 Annual Parish Assembly than the outgoing council? Are there any rules that apply in this case please?

Answer 1

Most certainly yes set the date for April, because the Annual Parish Meeting (although not a Council Meeting) is basically reports on what has been happening the previous year and your present Council are the best people to do this as they will understood what is going on.

It is not a platform to promote future candidates for the Council, if you wish to do that, call a public meeting and invite all the candidates along so they all have the chance to speak and answer any questions.

The Annual Parish Meeting needs to be held between March and April, the new Council will not be place until about mid May so won’t leave enough time to arrange one

Comments

My understanding is the Annual Parish Meeting / Assembly should take place between the inclusive dates of 1st March and 1st June.  See: https://towncouncillor.com/14848/months-parish-council-suffolk-their-annual-village-meeting
What we do, in an election year, is simply set the date (for May) and ensure that the date is publicised and invitations go out, but nothing else, As an assembly, and not a council meeting, it seems obvious that it should be forward-looking.
The other problem with setting it in April is that you are then in a 'purdah' period when I'd have thought it's best for the council (which has to arrange the meeting) to avoid providing a formal opportunity for candidates to big themselves up.
However, yes, you do make the point that there is often a formal report in the meeting on the council's achievements in the previous twelve months. But there is no reason that that should not still be delivered, even by an outgoing councillor. The new councillors may be very interested to question it!