Council

The Parish Council meets at 7:00 pm in Stedham Memorial Hall on the second Thursday of each month.

There is an additional meeting in April, which is the Annual Parish Meeting, consisting of all the local government electors for the Parish and chaired by the Chair of the Parish Council.

The Council's Annual Meeting, at which the Chair and Vice-Chair are elected to serve for one year, is generally held in May. 

Committee chairs, members and representatives on other bodies are also appointed at the Annual Meeting.

The Parish Council has representatives on the following other bodies:

  • Memorial Hall Trust
  • Iping & Stedham Commons Local Nature Reserve Management Committee

At meetings of the parish council, councillors report on their attendance at other meetings where they represent the interests of the parish.

Subscriptions

West Sussex Association of Local Councils (WSALC) - provides a formal voice for town and parish councils.  Gives legal advice to member councils and provides information and training seminars

Agendas, Minutes, Conduct of Meetings

Agendas are prepared by the clerk and approved by the councillors before the meeting.  Councillors wishing to add an item to the agenda are asked to advise the clerk at least ten days before the next meeting.  Agendas are delivered to councillors a week before the meeting.  Please telephone the clerk before the meeting if clarification is required for any agenda item.

No decision can lawfully be taken on any matters of substantial importance, or involving expenditure, for which notice has not been given (see Standing Orders).

Each item must have a resolution, even if this is to take no action.

Resolutions are generally by consensus but may sometimes be voted upon.  The resolution is then recorded, but not details of the vote.

Occasionally, if a member disagrees strongly with a majority decision of the council, he/she may ask for this to be minuted.  This must be made clear at the meeting.

Minutes are intended to be a summary of the proceedings and record of the resolutions of the council, not a verbatim report.

Minutes should be distributed to councillors within fourteen days of the meeting.

Copies of the minutes can be obtained from the Clerk, or from the SIPC Meetings page of this website.

Parish council meetings are open to the public and pre advertised on the notice boards.  Members of the public may not take part in the proceedings unless invited to do so by the Chair, but there is an item on the Agenda when matters can be raised by the public.

Meetings should not normally last for longer than 90 minutes.

Before taking office, councillors are required to sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office, which includes an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct.

 

Local Government Law

Unlike ordinary English Law, whereas an individual can do anything unless prohibited by law, a council can only do that which is authorised by law