Agreeing financial decisions - can this be done informally or does it have to be at an extraordinary general meeting?

Question

If a Parish Council is meeting separately from it's normal monthly schedule and solely to agree financial transactions - eg the sale of an asset or a new insurance premium - and therefore would want to conduct the business in private - is there any need to call an extraordinary general meeting and give notice to the public? If the public won't be able to follow the discussion can Councillors meet informally via Zoom or whatever to take the decision?

Answer 1

There is a requirement to give notice for all meetings of the parish council in the normal way.  If the extraordinary meeting is for one item to be legitimately placed in a private meeting, there must be a resolution passed that states the meeting is closed to the press and public in accordance with the act.  Something along the lines of Having regard to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, the meeting is now not open to the Press and Public pursuant to Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

It sound pedantic but its all about transparency.

Comments

Thanks MrsAbster ...so we have to give 3 days notice in the normal way?

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Yes but extraordinary meeting summons need to be signed by the Chair.

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Thanks again - just to be sure, the Councillors can get together informally to discuss the various options involved in a sale ahead of a properly constituted extraordinary general meeting at which any decision would be ratified and for which due notice is given?

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The councillors will have to receive in advance, all the documentation required to make an informed decision. If they choose to meet up to review the documents and get an understanding from each other as to options and legalities, that's their decision.
They have to be careful of pre- determination though and be prepared to fully discuss and potentially have their minds changed at the meeting.