Parish Office: 6 New Street, Marnhull, Dorset, DT10 1PY

01258 446268            mpcclerk@sallyupshall.f2s.com

Members of the Council

1 Members of Marnhull Parish Council shall be those persons who have been elected, or co-opted as members by the council, up to the maximum allowed by electoral law.

2 Officers of the council shall consist of the Clerk to the Parish Council, and other officers for specific purposes and times, as appointed by the council.

3 The Parish Clerk shall be the Proper Officer of the Council, and would normally be appointed as Responsible Financial Officer.

Meetings of the Electors

    Parish Meeting

4 The Parish Meeting shall be held at least annually. It shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Parish Council if present, or failing that presence, by the Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council if present.

5 The meeting is open only to electors of the parish; members of the parish council may attend as members of the public.

6 The purpose of an annual meeting is a general review of activities in the parish during the preceding and following year. All societies within the village shall be invited to participate by providing reports of their activities. The Parish Council shall provide a report of its past activities and a preview of the future year.

7 Parish Meetings may also be held for other purposes affecting the electors of Marnhull.

Meetings of the Council

    Annual Meeting of the Parish Council

8 The Annual Meeting of Marnhull Parish Council shall be held in May each year. In an election year the meeting shall be held between five and fifteen days after the election.

9 At this meeting the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the parish council shall be appointed in that order for the following year by election by those councillors present. Agreement to serve in these posts shall be obtained before election. In the election to these posts the meeting shall be chaired as follows :-

If the Parish Clerk is not present then the person acting as secretary (if not a member) shall chair the meeting. If such a secretary is not present, then the members present shall choose a chairman for the purpose of appointing a Chairman.

10 Voting shall be by show of hands unless a motion for secret ballot has been passed by those councillors present. The person obtaining more votes than the sum of all other candidates in each election will be elected. In the event of more than two candidates but no overall majority then the candidate with the lowest vote shall be removed from the list. Voting shall continue until an overall majority is obtained. In the event of a tied vote, the chairman shall make an additional (or casting) vote.

11 Members responsibilities and officers appointments shall then be agreed and ratified.

12 The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council may be held immediately prior to an appropriate routine business meeting.

     Routine Meetings of the Parish Council

13 Meetings for routine business shall be held every month on the first Monday of the month, provided that day is not a Bank Holiday. If it is not possible to hold the meeting on the first Monday in the month then it shall be held within seven days of that date.

     Planning Meetings

14 Planning meetings shall be held as soon as appropriate after receiving notification of a development application in the parish from North Dorset District Council. They should normally be held at 6.30pm on a Friday during the period of British Summer Time, and at 9.00am on a Saturday during the period of Greenwich Mean Time.

     Budget Meeting.

15 The Budget Meeting shall be held not later than the last day of November of the previous financial year. Its purpose is to agree a draft budget to be formally agreed at the routine meeting immediately before the final date appointed by North Dorset District Council for receiving Precept Requests.

     Special Meetings

16 A Special Meeting may be held on the authority of the Chairman of the parish Council. If the Chairman or Vice-Chairman resigns from his appointment then a meeting of the parish council shall be held within seven days of the date of the resignation as informed to the Parish Clerk.

      Extra-Ordinary Meetings

17 An Extra-Ordinary Meeting shall be held on application signed by four members of the parish Council. It shall be held within fourteen days of the signed application being received by the Parish Clerk.

18 The application for an Extra-Ordinary meeting shall be accompanied by a motion to be proposed and seconded at that meeting. Debate, amendments to the motion, and voting on the motion shall be the only business transacted at the meeting. The meeting shall normally be open to public debate.

Notice of Meetings

19 Four clear working days must elapse between the posting of notices of the time and place of a meeting and its session. Such notices shall be posted at four conspicuous places within the parish, and shall specify the business to be carried out at the meeting. Members shall be reminded of their responsibility to declare any conflict of interest (para 39) and to decide issues without unlawful discrimination (para 40) in a note included in an agendum.

20 Copies of the business to be carried out, together with a summons to attend the meeting shall be conveyed to all members of the council with the time and date. With the permission of council members, such correspondence may be delivered by email.

21 In the case of an Extra-Ordinary meeting a record shall be obtained of the delivery of the business and summons to attend.

Quorum for a meeting

22 A quorum shall consist of four members being present during the whole of the conduct of the business of the meeting.

Conduct of Business

23 The meeting shall be under the authority of the chairman of the meeting, whose decisions (except for those made under para 31) may be over-ruled only by a motion proposed by a Council member, seconded by two other members, and voted by a show of hands supported by two-thirds (rounded down to a whole number) of those members present.

24 A matter involving these standing orders may be raised at any time and shall be dealt with immediately as a “Point of Order”, immediately superseding any business which may be in process of transaction.

25 The chairman of the meeting shall normally be the Chairman of the Council, the Vice-Chairman of the Council, or any other member delegated by the Chairman of the Council. In the event of no such member being present, the Clerk to the Council will request those present to appoint a chairman.

26 It shall be the responsibility of the chairman of the meeting to ensure that minutes of the proceedings are taken.

27 During the meeting the council shall operate in one of the following sessions :-

     a) Open Session - members of the public and Council members may take part. At least one such session shall occur at every      Council meeting

     b) Closed Session - Only members of the council may take part. Members of the public may state that they have particular      knowledge of the subject and the Chairman shall rule whether and how they may take part in the discussion.

     c) Private Session - only members of the Council and the Clerk to the Council may be present. For convenience the Council may     move to an adjacent room for such a session.

28 The chairman shall state the type of session at any change of session. In the case of a Private Session the reason for the Private Session shall be stated to any members of the public present at the change of session, or on any agenda for such a Private Session meeting.

29 The general order of business for a Routine business meeting shall include at least the following headings :-

30 Items un-connected with those on the agenda shall not be discussed except with the permission of the meeting’s chairman.

31 The chairman of the meeting may require all speech to be addressed to or through the chairman, and/or with the chairman’s permission. Where the chairman allows speaking only with permission, the chairman shall ensure that all members may state their views and debate within the permission of the chairman.

32 A decision of the Council shall be effected by a motion expressing that decision being proposed by a member of the Council and seconded by another member. At any time before a vote is taken, an amendment to the motion may be proposed and seconded. Any amending motion shall be dealt with before the motion being amended.

33 Any motion agreed by the council shall not be reversed within six months unless by motion at an Extra-Ordinary meeting.

34 The Clerk to the Council shall prepare and distribute draft minutes within eight days of the session inviting comments and alterations to be submitted within a further twelve days. The final version for approval at the next meeting shall be distributed at the same time as the Agenda.

Voting

35 The persons proposing & seconding, and numbers voting for, against, and abstaining shall be recorded

36 In the event of a tie in voting the chairman of a meeting may exercise an additional (or casting) vote.

Disorderly Conduct

37 In the event of any disorderly conduct while the Council is meeting, the chairman of the meeting shall call the meeting to order and invoke para 31. Any individual refusing to accept the chairman's authority shall be required to leave the meeting; failing action to restore order the chairman of the meeting shall adjourn the meeting.

Confidentiality

38 Any initial discussion relating to a complaint against, or the conduct of, a member, officer, or employee, shall be carried out in a Private session. With the exception of matters relating to a member’s expenses or an employee’s remuneration, any matter relating to the personal or financial details of any member, officer or employee shall be carried out in a Private session.

Conflict of Interests

39 Any member of the Council who in discussion or voting on any matter may have a conflict of interest as defined by the current Code of Conduct shall declare such conflict of interest as soon as it is known. A member having a prejudicial interest in a matter shall be required to leave the room while that matter is being considered. A member having a personal interest shall declare it, and the Chairman shall rule whether the member should leave the room while that matter is being considered. Councillors shall be reminded of this responsibility as a note at the beginning of any agendum.

Discrimination

40 In the decisions of the Council there shall be no adverse unlawful discrimination, ie on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or disability.

Expenditure

41 Expenditure by the council shall be in accordance with Marnhull Parish Council Financial Regulations.

Complaints

42 Complaints against council members, officers, or employees shall be dealt with in accordance with Marnhull Parish Council Complaints Procedure.

Council Grants

43 These shall be generally in accordance with Marnhull Parish Council Guidelines for Council Grants.

Child Protection Policy

44 This shall be as stated in Marnhull Parish Council Child Protection Policy.

Changes to Standing Orders

45 These standing orders may be extended, and (apart from those required by statute) amended or suspended by resolution of the Council

These Standing Orders were agreed at Issue 1 in Council at the meeting held on the 5 February 2007.

Chairman