Can the Chair change the date of the monthly meeting without consultation?

Question

Does The Chair have the power to postpone or bring forward the monthly Parish meeting one week either side of its usual set date?

Answer 1

Usually dates for meetings are set well in advance, often annually, and the Chair carries no greater authority than anyone else with regard to those dates/times.  However, meetings do sometimes have to be changed if it is unlikely they will be quorate or the venue is unavailable.  It is usual then for the clerk to be asked to make alternative arrangements.  Changing dates and times is to be discouraged as it confuses the public who might attend, as well as members, but it does happen from time to time for perfectly innocent reasons.

Comments

Thankyou Delboy'swife.

Answer 2

Technically no, they can't.  If the council has resolved to have meetings on a given date then only the council can change those dates.  The chair does have the power to call additional meetings though.

Pragmatically speaking, sometimes meetings need to be moved.  A neighbouring parish council was due to meet next on 4th July in their village hall.  Since their last meeting, a general election has been called for the 4th and the village hall will be a polling station, so the clerk has moved the meeting to Wednesday 3rd.  It might be technically wrong, but is obviously the pragmatic thing to do for very good reasons.