Annual Parish Meeting minutes

Question

For the second year running, our parish council clerk has insisted that the council confirm the minutes of the May 2024 Annual Parish Meeting at the next full parish council meeting, published as an agenda item to be addressed by the council. Does a parish council have any powers to ratify APM minutes?
The council did exactly the same with the May 2023 Annual Parish Meeting minutes, even though I objected  and said I thought it did not follow due process I was told by the chairman and clerk that the ratification was perfectly right and proper and would stand.
At our APM held earlier this month the agenda signed by the council chairman did not include an item confirming the minutes of  May 2023 APM. Again I objected but was ignored. If the residents are not given the opportunity (twice now) to ratify the minutes of their Annual Parish Meeting at the next meeting, where do they stand under the 1972 Act? Who can a resident complain about the autocratic behaviour of the chairman, clerk and council in this regard?

Answer 1

NALC guidance says:

The minutes of an assembly of a parish meeting must be signed at the same or next assembly by the person presiding at the assembly and the signed minutes of the meeting serve as a legal record of what has taken place. Minutes must be kept in a book provided for the purpose.

Consequently, I believe this could be a breach of section 41(1) of LGA 1972 which can be reported to the external auditor.

However, if wrong, I am sure one of the experienced councillors or clerks will put me right on this issue.

Comments

As the annual parish meeting is not a council meeting it is neither appropriate to "approve" the minutes at a council meeting, nor is it a subject matter that either the internal or external auditor will have an interest in.  In reality, the APM is a bit a nonsense in that there are no sanctions against a council for not convening one.  However, I do think it is a valid action to note the minutes of the meeting at a parish council meeting as they do represent the views of the public and whilst a resolution of such a public meeting is not binding upon the parish council, its an unwise course of action in my opinion to ignore such matters.  By noting the matters raised at the meeting, the council brings those matters into the council business for discussion and, if appropriate, action.