www.sunninghillandascotparishcouncil.co.uk CLICK on the Parish Facebook page . Email: enquiries@s-a-pc.com
Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council (SAPC) has a busy year in prospect, starting with the Annual Parish Assembly in March, a significant programme of improvements to local parks, as well as the 2019 Parish Party in July.
The Annual Parish Annual Assembly will be on Wednesday 20th March. It’s a good opportunity for Parish residents, other interested parties and community representatives, to get up to speed with Parish affairs and to give feedback. The Parish Council has a significant budget to spend – thanks the Parish Precept and developer contributions, so it wants your views on where this money is needed!...
There is quite a precise legal requirement to hold an Annual Parish Assembly, during which the Council’s Standing Orders do not apply but it is chaired by the Chairman of the Parish Council. There is often confusion between the Annual Parish Assembly and the similar-sounding Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council- which is a formal Council meeting and completely different.
sunninghill ascot :: parish council
The Parish Assembly must take place between 1st March and the 1st June (inclusive), after 6pm. This obligation has been imposed to give local residents a convenient opportunity to hear, at first hand, what the Parish Council is doing for electors, and for residents and businesses to have their say on anything they consider is important to Parish life.
Councillors are not required to attend, but SAPC councillors are very active and Committee Chairmen will give a short summary of their year’s work on your behalf. There will also be official reports by important community figures – such as Thames valley Police and local school head teachers.
The atmosphere is generally informal, though a written record of the meeting will be taken and any comments made by the residents, presented at a future meeting of Council.
Votes can be taken - done by a majority of those present at the meeting - but it’s the decision of the person chairing the meeting as to whether the decision is final, unless a poll is demanded. Votes taken at this meeting are not binding on the Parish Council. Only registered Parish electors are permitted to speak and vote.
The second half of the Sunninghill & Ascot Annual Parish Meeting is even less formal and is always a pleasant occasion. There are often contributions by local societies as well as voluntary organisations. Refreshments are provided and when appropriate, a guest is invited to speak on a subject of Parish interest. In the past, these talks have been on diverse topics, from wildlife to development.
