Question

I wish to resign as Chair at our AGM in May but none of my fellow Councillors are willing to replace me, what to do?

Answer 1

You do not need to resign. The council must elect a chairman at its annual meeting in May. You are entitled to decline to be nominated - the person chosen as chairman signs an acceptance of office, and nobody can be compelled to do so. If the council cannot appoint a chairman who accepts office at the annual meeting, it is not lawfully constituted and cannot function.

Answer 2

If no-one is prepared to step up to the mark, then a solution would be to elect a chairman every time you meet, right at the start of the meeting.  This is very cumbersome but a way round the issue...  Other parish councils have a rota system where a Councillor is elected as chair for the year before moving onto the next councillor... You are not obliged to continue as Chair if you don't want to.