Approval of Committee Minutes and its Recommendations

Question

At full parish council meetings we are always asked to 'receive the minutes (or draft minutes) of committee meetings and approve the recommendations therein'. If I do not sit on a particular committee, does my vote infer an acceptance of their accuracy?

Furthermore, can I ask questions relating to decisions put to the full parish council by a committee? The Minutes are not always detailed enough.

Thankyou.

Answer 1

Committee minutes are approved at the next committee and not at Full Council.  The Local Government Act 1972, schedule 12 41(1) states "Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of a local authority shall, subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, be drawn up and entered in a book kept for that purpose and shall be signed at the same or next [suitable] meeting of the authority by the person presiding thereat, and any minute purporting to be so signed shall be received in evidence without further proof."

The only minutes that require approval at Full Council are the last Full Council minutes, where you should be in a position to confirm their accuracy if you were in attendance.  Minutes of committees are often presented at Full Council but as an information sharing point.

With regards to decisions being put to full council, you have every right to expect and receive further information from the committee.  There should be a full debate before a resolution is passed.

Hope the above helps