Parish Council Meetings
General Meetings
The Parish Council calls a meeting each month (at 7pm), which is normally held on the third Monday of the month. The Annual Parish Meeting is usually held in April or May and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council is held in May (see below).
The meeting dates and agenda are published and displayed on our notice boards in each Ward. Meetings are rotated each month between each Ward and our usual venues (click each location for directions on Google Maps) are: The Church Room – Old Cleeve, Washford Memorial Hall and Roadwater Village Hall
Annual Parish Meeting & Annual Meeting of the Parish Council
The Annual Parish Meeting is where a full summary of all Parish Council activities over the preceding year is presented to the public.
The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council is held in May (in an ordinary election year* the meeting must be held within 14 days of the Councillors coming into office).
*Elections take place every 4 years, the last one was on May 5th 2022.
The business transacted at this meeting is as follows: the election of the Chairman and the signing of the acceptance of office, the election of the Vice-Chairman and the signing of the acceptance of office, the appointment of Members to each of the Committees and to outside organisations, as well as all other usual monthly business. If the annual accounts are not reported at this meeting, they must be included in the June meeting.
Purpose & Content of Meetings
The meetings have a clear purpose – to make decisions – and are not just forums for debate. All Parish Council meetings are open to the public.
The full Parish Council meetings are usually also attended by the appropriate representatives and Councillors of the Somerset West and Taunton District Council.
It is the Chairman’s responsibility to ensure that effective and lawful decisions are made. Decisions are taken by a vote. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman has a second or casting vote.
There are also information sessions and training events for Councillors, and community events.
The Agenda for a meeting is published at least 3 clear days in advance of meetings and normally at least one full week in advance.
The Minutes of a formal meeting are published within one month of the meeting. Please note that the minutes of a meeting remain a DRAFT version until approved by the Council at the following meeting.
Meeting Venues and Dates for 2024
Monday 15 January – Roadwater Village Hall
Monday 19 February – Church Rooms, Old Cleeve
Monday 18 March – Washford Memorial Hall
Monday 15 April – Roadwater Village Hall
Monday 20 May – Church Rooms, Old Cleeve
Annual Meeting of the Parish Council
Monday 17 June – Washford Memorial Hall
Monday 15 July – Roadwater Village Hall
Monday 19 August – Church Rooms, Old Cleeve
Monday 16 September – Washford Memorial Hall
Monday 21 October – Roadwater Village Hall
Monday 18 November – Church Rooms, Old Cleeve
Monday 9 December – Washford Memorial Hall
Agendas
Minutes
View minutes 2018/2019
View minutes 2017/2018
Minutes are subject to approval at the next subsequent full Parish Council meeting.
Public Participation
Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings.
Meetings shall be open to the public unless their presence is prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons.
The public’s exclusion from part or all of a meeting shall be by a resolution which shall give reasons for the public’s exclusion.
Members of the public may make representations, answer questions and give evidence at a meeting which they are entitled to attend in respect of the business on the agenda.
The period of time designated for public participation at a meeting shall not exceed 15 minutes unless otherwise directed by the Chairman. A member of the public shall not speak for more than 3 minutes.
Questions not answered at this meeting will be answered in writing to the person asking the question or may appear as an agenda item for the next appropriate Parish Council or Committee meeting.
The Chairman will confirm if all or part of the meeting may be filmed, photographed or audio recorded. If any member of the public has an objection to being filmed or photographed, please would they make themselves known to the Chairman or the Parish Clerk before the start of the meeting.
The general public are welcome to attend Full Parish Council Meetings providing they notify their intention to attend a specific meeting at least 48 hours before the given date and time of that meeting, by contacting the Parish Council Clerk.
Please note that this section of the Council Meeting is not part of the formal meeting of the Council.