Question

What months does a Parish Council (Suffolk) need to hold their Annual Village Meeting on 2023?

Answer 1

If you are referring to the Annual Parish Meeting (and it looks as though you are) then its between the inclusive dates of 1st March and 1st June.

Comments

Thank you. Yes answers my question. Appreciate very quick response. Regards

Answer 2

Bear in mind that it's not compulsory for a parish council to hold one. So it's not a 'must'. These meetings could also be called by electors or councillors as well as the parish council.

Comments

With due reverence Mrs A I was under the impression that it was indeed compulsory for a Parish meeting to be held once a year between the specified dates under the LG act 1972
"Part III
Parish Meetings
14(1)The parish meeting of a parish shall assemble annually on some day between 1st March and 1st June, both inclusive, in every year.
(2)Subject to sub-paragraph (1) above and to sub-paragraph (3) below, parish meetings shall be held on such days and at such times as may be fixed by the parish council or, if there is no parish council, by the chairman of the parish meeting." (2014 amended)
Keeping in mind that a Parish Meeting can be called at any time by the community but the annual one must take place- organised, advertised and paid for by the PC

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I agree with Mentorman.  I think its also worth clarifying that in order for a councillor to call a parish meeting, they also have to be an elector.  In other words if one of your councillors lives with 3 miles of the parish council but is not an elector then they cannot call a parish meeting.

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Just to avoid a long discussion a councillor as a councillor cannot, as the number required of the community, call for a Parish Meeting as a councillor only as an elector. They should not be identified on the application to the PC as a councillor. Silly as they PC knows who their councillors are and a bit of changing hats to follow the rules.

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Should councillors attending the APM be there as electors only, and if so, should their status as councillors in attendance be included in the minutes? Also, should those councillors who cannot or don't attend the APM be identified in the minutes? Should the clerk - not an elector - attend in their role as clerk to the parish council if the council has not resolved for them to do so in advance of the meeting? Sorry, lots of questions arising from the above query.

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All who attend are there as electorate and can vote on proposals. The PC chair is the default chair of the meeting and if not attending the meeting will elect a chair. As the annual meeting is held for the PC to answer questions etc and report on the PC during the year then these are the only people to be identified in the minutes as part of the council. As this is a required meeting under statute then the clerks attendance would be well advise as they may be the finance officer of the council and also take and produce the minutes of the meeting as needed.
Identification of members of the public as a general record is not required but as proposer or seconder of a motion

Remember that even though the PC must advertise, organise venue and pay for costs involved it is NOT a PC meeting but a meeting of the Parish.
The meeting is open to all but only electors can vote on proposals ( though no result is enshrined in legislation for responsibility) . A proposal carried is a highlight of the requirement of the PC to attend to a matter. Whether they do or not is of course another matter.

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There is a tendency and a general misconception that one must be on the electoral roll to attend / partake / contribute to an APM.
The APM is an open public meeting.
One must be on the electoral role to vote in a poll but there are no such qualifying criteria for any other activity at the APM regardless of any coincidental role or appointment.
Due reverence?
A feeling or attitude of profound respect, usually reserved for the sacred or divine; devoted veneration
Did Jackie Weaver enter the room?

Is it a requirement to be prostrate in subservience in order to express a counter opinion to the empirically incorrect?

Maybe that’s where I keep going wrong );0)

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RAC.I would accept your "profound respect" which I always have for those who are factually correct ( in my opinion) on matters but move away from the sacrosanct and divine  part. As you point out the bestowed sainthood on the lady you mentioned by illiterate media hype which ignored the Chair's correct statement that "she has no authority here" and had overstepped her position. He should have at that point  immediately closed the meeting and turned off the cameras on zoom.

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It wasn't just the gutter press that lauded her....

And even now, as recently as a few months ago, NALC were engaging her services as a representative:  https://youtu.be/_RrvU5V0GY8