UPDATE -- Eagle-eyed blog-reader, Steve Cowley, has kindly pointed out an error in this post. When I posted initially, the document below was the one that went with Mr Pickles' statement and Steve spotted that since when there has been a new document issued (immediately under the first) dated August 2014 which states it supersedes the 2013 version I published --- leaving us in a right pickle (forgive the pun) and me with egg on my face. Egg and pickle sandwiches, anyone?
I am indebted to Steve Cowley to put the record straight. The main issue that I need to highlight is that the Parish Council only needs to provide THREE day's notice for a meeting, not the five stated in the 2013 document. Of course any decent council would give five days and information for residents (not just Councillors) to research and prepare for the meeting.
Furthermore, in my view the public should be heard BEFORE Councillors debate and vote. Mind you, the law doesn't actually require that and our Parish Council is doing the bare minimum required by the law. Quelle surprise?
The other thing to help you in reading the new 2014 document is that only sections One and Four apply to Parish Councils. The other sections don't (yet). My humblest apologies to Shalfleet Parish Council for suggesting that they might be operating ultra vires on this matter as they are probably not. They are not, however, working to Best Practice, which is voluntary.
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Eric Pickles has just signed into effect the new legislation giving new rights to the public to access and record Council meetings and information. This short leaflet written for public use gives the details. Good Councils have been following this for some time -- bad Councils will now have to conform. Please have a look and know your new rights.
Also know that Councils have to give FIVE clear days notice of meetings and the background information will have to be available at the same time as the agenda. Shalfleet Parish Council does not give background information and takes questions AFTER the Council have voted which is pointless and gives the public no chance to have their say. If you have something you want to say, stand up for your rights.
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THE NEW 2014 DOCUMENT "OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT" Aug 2014
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