Cannot attend Parish AGM can I still be nominated for chair

Question

I am on Election duty and cannot attend the parish AGM. Can I still be nominated for Chair?

Answer 1

Yes. If elected and absent, the vice chair (if there is one) or failing that, any other member may chair the meeting. They would need to pass a resolution to allow you to sign your declaration at a later date in accordance with Section 83 Para 4(c) otherwise you vacate the office for failing to sign at the meeting at which you were elected.

Comments

As it is a virtual meeting i would not be able to sign at the meeting.
My understanding is that if I am absent the meeting cannot progress as the next step for the new chair to ask for nominations for vice-chair.

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There is a distinction to be made between the individual (i.e. the person who has been elected as the chair of the council for the year) and the function of chair (i.e. whoever happens to be in the hotseat at any particular meeting). With the current or outgoing chair in the hotseat, they can elect you as the new chair, record the fact that you're not there, appoint one of their number to take the chair to elect the vice chair (and it would be sensible to allow the outgoing chair to do this), then the successful candidate can take the chair for the remainder of the meeting, as any vice chair should if the chair is not present.

Answer 2

Is there any chance you could combine all of the recent questions around the same subject into a single consolidated question?

Is this right - you are a parish councillor that wants to stand for chair of your PC but you can’t attend the AGM/APM(?) which is the same day as county, but not parish elections because you are on election duty?

Is it an AGM or an APM?

Is it intentional or accidental that AGM / APM is on Election Day?

Comments

It might be that the meeting clashes with the elections as that is the last legal day for online meetings.

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Sorry, first time used this site. will use the thread with Davetheclerk moving forward.
Your assumptions are correct, it is an AGM and I don't believe that it was intentional for Election Day, standing orders say first Thursday in May.

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I suggest you revisit this next time you review your standing orders and before the next quadrennial elections. The first Thursday in May will always be election day and there are rules aplenty regarding the timing of the Annual Parish Council Meeting in election years.

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Thanks and understood Thomas & Mrs Abster.
As Dave says - worth reviewing your meeting schedules to avoid future classes and ensure compliance with regs for APM. You can’t have APM the day of the election - they might still be counting ):0)