Little Longstone Parish Meeting – Standing Orders

Little Longstone Parish Meeting Standing Orders

DRAFT

1. Rules of Debate at Assemblies

a. Motions on the agenda shall be considered in the order that they appear unless the order is changed at the discretion of the Chair of the assembly.
b. A motion (including an amendment) shall not be progressed unless it has been moved and seconded.
c. A motion on the agenda that is not moved by its proposer may be treated by the Chair as withdrawn.
d. If a motion (including an amendment) has been seconded, it may be withdrawn by the proposer only with the consent of the seconder and the assembly.
e. An amendment is a proposal to remove or add words to a motion. It shall not negate the motion.
f. If an amendment to the original motion is carried, the original motion (as amended) becomes the substantive motion upon which further amendment(s) may be moved.
g. An amendment shall not be considered unless notice of it is given verbally at the start of the discussion on that motion and, if requested by the Chair, is expressed in writing to the Chair.
h. A mover may move an amendment to their own motion if agreed by the assembly. If a motion has already been seconded, the amendment shall be with the consent of the seconder and the assembly.
i. If there is more than one amendment to an original or substantive motion, the amendments shall be moved in the order directed by the Chair.
j. Subject to standing order 1(k), only one amendment shall be moved and debated at a time, the order of which shall be directed by the Chair.
k. One or more amendments may be discussed together if the Chair considers this expedient but each amendment shall be voted upon separately.
l. A mover of an amendment has no right of reply at the end of debate on it.
m. Unless permitted by the Chair, an elector may speak once in the debate on a motion except: (i) to speak on an amendment moved by another elector; (ii) to move or speak on another amendment if the motion has been amended since they last spoke; (iii) to make a point of order; (iv) to give a personal explanation; or (v) to exercise a right of reply.
n. During the debate on a motion, an elector may interrupt only on a point of order or a personal explanation and the elector who was interrupted shall stop speaking. An elector raising a point of order shall identify the standing order which they consider has been breached or specify the other irregularity in the proceedings which they are concerned by.
o. A point of order shall be decided by the Chair and their decision shall be final.
p. When a motion is under debate, no other motion shall be moved except: (i) to amend the motion; (ii) to proceed to the next business; (iii) to adjourn the debate; (iv) to put the motion to a vote; (v) to ask a person to be no longer heard or to leave the assembly; (vi) to exclude the public and press; (vii) to adjourn the assembly; or (viii) to suspend particular standing order(s) excepting those which reflect mandatory statutory or legal requirements.
q. Before an original or substantive motion is put to the vote, the Chair shall be satisfied that the motion has been sufficiently debated and that the mover of the motion under debate has exercised or waived their right of reply.
r. Contributions by an elector shall relate only to the motion under discussion and shall not exceed five minutes without the consent of the Chair.

2. Disorderly Conduct at Assemblies

Note: The Chair of a public meeting has common law powers to maintain order. It is also an offence under the Public Meetings Act 1908 to act in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of business at a lawful public meeting. The provisions below reflect these common law and statutory powers and are adopted as standing orders of the parish meeting.

a. No person present at an assembly, whether or not a local government elector, shall obstruct the transaction of business or behave offensively or improperly. If this standing order is ignored, the Chair shall request such person to moderate or improve their conduct.
b. If a person disregards the request of the Chair to moderate or improve their conduct, any elector or the Chair may move that the person be no longer heard or be excluded from the assembly. The motion, if seconded, shall be put to the vote without discussion.
c. If a resolution made under standing order 2(b) is ignored, the Chair may take further reasonable steps to restore order or to progress the assembly. This may include temporarily suspending or closing the assembly.

3. Assemblies Generally

Note on terminology: In this standing order, ‘elector’ means a local government elector for the parish of Little Longstone. ‘Person’ means any individual physically present at an assembly, whether or not a local government elector. Provisions referring to ‘any person’ apply to all those present; provisions referring specifically to ‘electors’ apply only to those on the electoral roll for the parish.

a. Assemblies shall not take place in premises which at the time of the assembly are used for the supply of alcohol, unless no other premises are available free of charge or at a reasonable cost (paragraph 14(5), Schedule 12, LGA 1972).
b. The minimum three clear days for notice of an assembly does not include the day on which notice was issued, the day of the assembly, a Sunday, a day of the Christmas break, a day of the Easter break or of a bank holiday or a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
c. Assemblies 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 exclusion of the public from part or all of an assembly shall be by a resolution which shall give reasons for the exclusion.
d. Electors may speak, make representations and give evidence at an assembly on any item of business. Any other person present may be permitted to address the assembly at the discretion of the Chair, but shall not vote.
e. The period designated for participation by persons who are not electors at an assembly shall not exceed fifteen minutes in total unless directed by the Chair.
f. Subject to standing order 3(f), a person who is not an elector shall not speak for more than three minutes without the consent of the Chair.
g. A question or representation made by a person present at an assembly shall not require a response at the assembly nor start a debate on the question. The Chair may direct that a written or oral response be given.
h. A person shall raise their hand when requesting to speak. The Chair may at any time permit a person to be seated when speaking.
i. A person who speaks at an assembly shall direct their comments to the Chair.
j. Only one person is permitted to speak at a time. If more than one person wants to speak, the Chair shall direct the order of speaking.
k. Subject to standing order 3(m), any person who attends an assembly is permitted to report on the assembly whilst it is open to the public. To ‘report’ means to film, photograph, make an audio recording of proceedings, use any other means for enabling persons not present to see or hear the assembly as it takes place or later, or to report or provide oral or written commentary about the assembly.
l. A person present at an assembly may not provide an oral report or oral commentary about the assembly as it takes place without permission.
m. The press shall be provided with reasonable facilities for the taking of their report of all or part of an assembly at which they are entitled to be present.
n. Subject to standing orders which indicate otherwise, anything authorised or required to be done by, to or before the Chair may in their absence be done by, to or before the Vice-Chair (if there is one).
o. The Chair, if present, shall preside at an assembly. If the Chair is absent from an assembly, the Vice-Chair (if there is one), if present, shall preside. If both the Chair and the Vice-Chair are absent, an elector chosen by the electors present at the assembly shall preside.
p. All questions at an assembly shall be decided by a majority of the electors present and voting.
q. The Chair of an assembly may give an original vote on any matter put to the vote, and in the case of an equality of votes may exercise their casting vote whether or not they gave an original vote.
r. Unless standing orders provide otherwise, voting on a question shall be by a show of hands. At the request of an elector, the voting on any question shall be recorded so as to show whether each elector present and voting gave their vote for or against that question. Such a request shall be made before moving on to the next item of business on the agenda.
s. The minutes of an assembly shall include an accurate record of: (i) the time and place of the assembly; (ii) the names of electors who are present; (iii) the names of any persons given apologies; (iv) interests that have been declared by electors; (v) whether an elector withdrew from the assembly when a matter in which they held an interest was being considered; (vi) whether a participation session for persons other than electors was held; and (vii) the resolutions made.
t. An elector who has a direct financial interest or other personal interest in a matter being considered at an assembly should declare that interest before the matter is discussed, following the procedure in standing order 13.
u. An assembly of the parish meeting may not transact business unless at least five persons are present, including the Chair. The Clerk, if a local government elector for the parish, may count towards the quorum.

Note: There is no specific statutory quorum for a parish meeting assembly in the LGA 1972. The five-person minimum set out above is a standing order rule adopted by the parish meeting and may be amended by resolution in accordance with standing order 24(b). A quorum of five is recommended as appropriate for a body managing significant commercial assets and income.

v. If an assembly becomes inquorate no business shall be transacted and the assembly shall be closed. The business on the agenda shall be adjourned to another assembly to be convened by the Clerk.
w. An assembly shall not normally exceed two hours. The Chair may, with the consent of the assembly, extend this period.

4. Working Groups

a. The parish assembly may appoint working groups of local government electors for the parish to carry out research, prepare recommendations, or undertake specific tasks on behalf of the meeting. Working groups shall not make binding decisions on behalf of the meeting but shall report back to the assembly for a decision by resolution.
b. When appointing a working group, the assembly shall determine: (i) the purpose and terms of reference of the group; (ii) the number of members; (iii) any budget authorised for the group’s activities and the threshold above which the group must return to the assembly for further authorisation; and (iv) the timescale within which the group shall report back.
c. Working group members shall be local government electors for the parish. The Chair and Clerk may be members of a working group but are not required to be so.
d. Working groups shall keep notes of their meetings and shall report to the assembly. Any expenditure incurred by a working group shall be processed by the Clerk and must be within the budget authorised by the assembly.
e. The assembly may dissolve a working group at any time by resolution.

5. The Annual Parish Meeting

a. The parish meeting shall assemble annually between 1 March and 1 June (paragraph 14(1), Schedule 12, LGA 1972).
b. The first business conducted at the Annual Parish Meeting shall be the election of the Chair. The Chair shall continue in office until their successor is elected at the next Annual Parish Meeting (s.15(10), LGA 1972).
c. Nominations for Chair shall be made at the Annual Parish Meeting. Any elector may propose another elector for the office of Chair. A nomination requires a proposer and a seconder, both of whom must be local government electors for the parish. The nominee must confirm their willingness to stand before the vote proceeds.
d. If only one nomination is made and no further nomination comes from the floor, the nominated person shall be declared elected without a vote.
e. If no nomination is made and no elector present is willing to stand, the incumbent Chair, if present and willing to continue, shall be deemed re-elected for a further year without a vote. If the incumbent Chair is absent or unwilling to continue, the assembly shall appoint an elector to act as Chair until an extraordinary assembly can be convened to elect a successor.
f. Where there are two or more candidates for Chair, the election shall be conducted in accordance with standing order 8.
g. If no other time is fixed, the Annual Parish Meeting shall take place at 7pm.
h. The business of the Annual Parish Meeting, following the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair, shall include: (i) confirmation of the accuracy of the minutes of the last assembly; (ii) review and re-adoption of standing orders and financial regulations; (iii) review of the asset register and the commercial licence register; (iv) confirmation of insurance arrangements; (v) review of subscriptions to other bodies; (vi) review of the complaints procedure; (vii) review of freedom of information and data protection policies; (viii) review of any governance arrangements with neighbouring parish councils; and (ix) determination of the dates of ordinary assemblies up to and including the next Annual Parish Meeting.
i. The outgoing Chair, if present at the Annual Parish Meeting, shall preside until a new Chair is elected. The outgoing Chair shall not have an original vote in respect of the election of the new Chair but shall give a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.

6. Ordinary and Extraordinary Assemblies

a. In addition to the Annual Parish Meeting, the parish meeting shall hold at least one other assembly during the year. It is recommended that at least three ordinary assemblies be held each year in addition to the Annual Parish Meeting.
b. The Chair may convene an extraordinary assembly of the parish meeting at any time.
c. If the Chair does not respond to a written request from six or more local government electors for the parish to convene an extraordinary assembly within seven days of receiving that request, any six of those electors may convene an extraordinary assembly. The public notice giving the time, place and agenda for such an assembly shall be signed by the six electors (paragraph 15(2), Schedule 12, LGA 1972).

7. Previous Resolutions

a. A resolution shall not be reversed within six months except by a special motion, written notice of which shall be given by at least three electors to the Clerk in writing at least seven clear days before the assembly, or by a motion moved pursuant to the recommendation of a working group.
b. When a motion moved pursuant to standing order 7(a) has been disposed of, no similar motion may be moved for a further six months.

8. Voting on Appointments

a. Where more than two persons have been nominated for a position to be filled by the assembly and none of those persons has received an absolute majority of votes cast in their favour, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and a fresh vote taken. This process shall continue until a majority of votes cast is given in favour of one person. A tie in votes may be settled by the casting vote exercisable by the Chair of the assembly.

Note: An absolute majority of votes cast means more than half of the votes actually cast at that ballot, excluding abstentions. It does not require a majority of all electors present and entitled to vote.

9. Motions for an Assembly Requiring Written Notice to the Clerk

a. A motion shall relate to the responsibilities of the parish meeting and shall in any event relate to the performance of the Meeting’s statutory functions, powers and obligations, or an issue which specifically affects the parish or its electors.
b. No motion may be moved at an assembly unless it is on the agenda and the mover has given written notice of its wording to the Clerk at least ten clear days before the assembly. Clear days do not include the day of the notice or the day of the assembly.
c. The Clerk may, before including a motion on the agenda, correct obvious grammatical or typographical errors in the wording of the motion.
d. If the Clerk considers the wording of a motion is not clear in meaning, the motion shall be rejected until the mover resubmits it in writing to the Clerk at least ten clear days before the assembly.
e. If the wording or subject of a proposed motion is considered improper, the Clerk shall consult with the Chair to consider whether the motion shall be included in the agenda or rejected.
f. The decision of the Clerk as to whether or not to include the motion on the agenda shall be final.
g. Motions received shall be recorded and numbered in the order that they are received.
h. Motions rejected shall be recorded with an explanation by the Clerk of the reason for rejection.

10. Motions at an Assembly not Requiring Written Notice

a. The following motions may be moved at an assembly without written notice to the Clerk: (i) to correct an inaccuracy in the draft minutes of an assembly; (ii) to move to a vote; (iii) to defer consideration of a motion; (iv) to refer a motion to a working group; (v) to appoint a person to preside at an assembly; (vi) to change the order of business on the agenda; (vii) to proceed to the next business on the agenda; (viii) to require a written report; (ix) to appoint a working group and its members; (x) to extend the time limits for speaking; (xi) to exclude the press and public from an assembly in respect of confidential or other information which is prejudicial to the public interest; (xii) to not hear further from an elector or other person; (xiii) to exclude an elector or other person for disorderly conduct; (xiv) to temporarily suspend the assembly; (xv) to suspend a particular standing order (unless it reflects mandatory statutory or legal requirements); (xvi) to adjourn the assembly; or (xvii) to close the assembly.

11. Management of Information

a. The parish meeting shall have in place and keep under review technical and organisational measures to keep secure information (including personal data) which it holds in paper and electronic form. Such arrangements shall include deciding who has access to personal data and encryption of personal data.
b. The parish meeting shall have in place, and keep under review, policies for the retention and safe destruction of all information (including personal data) which it holds in paper and electronic form. The Meeting’s retention policy shall confirm the period for which information shall be retained, or if this is not possible the criteria used to determine that period.
c. The agenda, papers that support the agenda and the minutes of an assembly shall not disclose or otherwise undermine confidential information or personal data without legal justification.
d. The Clerk, the Chair and any persons acting on behalf of the parish meeting shall not disclose confidential information or personal data without legal justification.

12. Draft Minutes

a. If the draft minutes of a preceding assembly have been served on electors with the agenda to attend the assembly at which they are due to be approved for accuracy, they shall be taken as read.
b. There shall be no discussion about the draft minutes of a preceding assembly except in relation to their accuracy. A motion to correct an inaccuracy in the draft minutes shall be moved in accordance with standing order 10(a)(i).
c. The accuracy of draft minutes, including any amendment(s) made to them, shall be confirmed by resolution and shall be signed by the Chair of the assembly and stand as an accurate record of the assembly to which the minutes relate.
d. If the Chair of the assembly does not consider the minutes to be an accurate record of the assembly to which they relate, they shall sign the minutes and include a paragraph in the following terms or to the same effect: ‘The Chair of this assembly does not believe that the minutes of the assembly of Little Longstone Parish Meeting held on [date] in respect of [matter] were a correct record but this view was not upheld by the assembly and the minutes are confirmed as an accurate record of the proceedings.’
e. The parish meeting shall publish draft minutes on a publicly accessible website not later than one month after the assembly has taken place, or, where no website is maintained, shall display the draft minutes in a conspicuous place in the parish for at least fourteen days.

13. Interests and Conduct

Note: A parish meeting is not subject to the statutory code of conduct framework that applies to parish councils under the Localism Act 2011. However, all persons participating in the parish meeting’s decision-making are expected to observe the Nolan Principles of public life. Where a s.109 order has been obtained, the monitoring officer of the district or unitary council should be consulted on whether and how the statutory conduct framework applies.

a. All persons participating in the decision-making of the parish meeting shall observe the Seven Nolan Principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
b. An elector or other person participating in an assembly who has a direct financial interest in a matter being considered — meaning a matter from which they, their spouse, civil partner, or a person with whom they live as a partner, could personally benefit financially — shall declare that interest at the start of the discussion of that matter. An indirect financial interest shall also be declared: this includes a connection with any organisation that has received or been offered financial support from a party with business before the assembly, where that connection could reasonably be seen as creating a bias in favour of that party.

Note: The phrase ‘disclosable pecuniary interest’ is the statutory term used in the Localism Act 2011 code of conduct applicable to parish councils. Since that statutory framework does not apply to a parish meeting, the plain-language formulation above is used instead. The practical effect is the same: any direct or indirect financial benefit to the elector or their close family members, or through organisations they are connected with, should be declared.

c. An elector who has a direct financial interest in a matter being considered shall withdraw from the assembly whilst that matter is discussed and voted upon, unless the assembly resolves otherwise. Where the interest is indirect, the Chair shall decide whether withdrawal is appropriate, having regard to the nature and extent of the connection.
d. Where an elector is connected with a business or organisation that is competing for a licence or contract being considered by the assembly, they shall declare that interest at the start of the assembly, not merely when the relevant item is reached, and shall notify the Clerk before the assembly wherever possible.
e. The Chair shall withdraw from presiding at an assembly when the assembly is considering the election of the Chair. The Vice-Chair or, in their absence, an elector chosen by the assembly, shall preside for that item.
f. Declarations of interest shall be recorded in the minutes, together with a note of whether the person concerned withdrew from the assembly during consideration of the relevant matter.
g. A person who believes they may have an interest in a matter on the agenda should notify the Clerk before the assembly wherever possible.

14. Complaints

a. The parish meeting shall maintain a complaints procedure. Complaints about the conduct of assemblies or the actions of the Chair or Clerk shall be made in writing to the Clerk (or, in the case of a complaint about the Clerk, to the Chair).
b. The Clerk shall acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within ten working days and shall report it to the next assembly for consideration.
c. The parish meeting shall consider the complaint and shall respond in writing to the complainant within a reasonable time. Where a complaint concerns a matter of legal compliance, the Clerk shall seek advice from DALC before responding.
d. A complaint about the conduct of the Clerk shall be considered by the Chair, who shall report to the next assembly.
e. An elector who has made a complaint that is being considered at an assembly has the right to be present at the assembly as a local government elector. However, they have a direct personal interest in the outcome of any decision on their complaint and shall declare that interest and withdraw from the vote on any resolution relating to their complaint, following the procedure in standing order 13. They may remain present during the discussion unless the assembly resolves to exclude the public in accordance with standing order 3(d).

15. The Clerk

a. The Clerk shall be the Proper Officer of the parish meeting and shall carry out all the functions of that role in accordance with the law and proper practices.
b. The Clerk shall:
i. at least seven clear days before an assembly, provide public notice of the time, place and agenda in a conspicuous place in the parish and, where applicable, by electronic means;
ii. include on the agenda all motions in the order received, subject to standing order 9;
iii. facilitate inspection of the minute book by local government electors;
iv. assist with responding to requests made under freedom of information legislation and rights exercisable under data protection legislation;
v. receive and send general correspondence and notices on behalf of the parish meeting except where there is a resolution to the contrary;
vi. assist in the organisation, storage, access, security and destruction of information held by the parish meeting in paper and electronic form;
vii. arrange or manage the prompt authorisation, approval and instruction regarding any payments to be made by the parish meeting in accordance with its financial regulations;
viii. manage access to information about the parish meeting via the publication scheme;
ix. maintain the parish meeting’s asset register and commercial licence register and keep them up to date;
x. record every planning application notified to the parish meeting and the Meeting’s response to the local planning authority;
xi. arrange for instruments to be executed in accordance with standing order 22; and
c. All official correspondence sent on behalf of the parish meeting shall use the parish meeting’s generic email address on the authority-owned domain. Personal email addresses shall not be used for official parish meeting business. Where the Chair or Vice-Chair sends correspondence in their official capacity as Chair or Vice-Chair, a copy shall be provided to the Clerk so that a complete record of official correspondence is maintained and continuity is preserved when office-holders change.

16. Accounts and Accounting Statements

a. ‘Proper practices’ in these standing orders refers to the most recent version of ‘Governance and Accountability for Local Councils – a Practitioners’ Guide’ (SAPPP).
b. All payments by the parish meeting shall be authorised, approved and paid in accordance with the law, proper practices and the Meeting’s financial regulations.
c. The Clerk shall supply to the Chair as soon as practicable after 30 June, 30 September and 31 December in each year a statement summarising: (i) the Meeting’s receipts and payments for each quarter; (ii) the Meeting’s aggregate receipts and payments for the year to date; (iii) the balances held at the end of the quarter; and (iv) a comparison with the budget for the financial year, highlighting any actual or potential overspends.
d. As soon as possible after the financial year end at 31 March, the Clerk shall prepare the accounting statements for the year in the form of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), as required by proper practices, for consideration and approval by the assembly.
e. The draft AGAR shall be circulated to electors with the agenda for the assembly at which it is to be approved, in accordance with the notice requirements of standing order 3(b). Where practicable, earlier circulation is encouraged. The AGAR, including the Annual Governance Statement, shall be approved by the assembly before 30 June in each year.

Note: The seven clear days’ notice requirement for an assembly under standing order 3(b) is the statutory minimum. The draft AGAR may be circulated with the agenda at that minimum notice period. Earlier circulation is encouraged as a matter of good practice where the timetable allows, but is not a statutory requirement for a parish meeting.

f. The annual internal audit shall be conducted by a person with appropriate local government specialism, appointed by the assembly on the recommendation of the Clerk.

17. Financial Controls, Procurement and Commercial Licences

Procurement and commercial licences: an important distinction
Procurement, the purchase of goods, services or works, is governed by standing order 17(c) to (h) and Appendix 1 of the Financial Regulations. The grant of commercial licences over the parish meeting’s land, including the Monsal Head ice cream van pitch licence, is a different and separate process, governed by Section 14 and Appendix 2 of the Financial Regulations. The grant of a commercial licence is not a procurement decision. The objective of procurement is value for money in purchasing; the objective of a commercial licence is best consideration for a public asset. The assembly must make the award decision in both cases and may not delegate that decision.

a. The assembly shall consider and approve financial regulations drawn up by the Clerk, which shall include detailed arrangements in respect of: (i) the keeping of accounting records and systems of internal controls; (ii) the assessment and management of financial risks; (iii) the work of the internal auditor; (iv) the inspection and copying by electors of the Meeting’s accounts and orders of payments; (v) the thresholds above which competitive quotation or formal tender is required for the procurement of goods and services; and (vi) the process for the grant of commercial licences over the parish meeting’s land.
b. Financial regulations shall be reviewed regularly and at least annually for fitness of purpose.
c. Subject to additional requirements in the financial regulations, the procurement process for the purchase of goods, materials, services or works shall include as a minimum: (i) a specification for the goods, materials, services or works; (ii) an invitation to tender or request for quotation confirming the specification, submission deadline, and the prohibition on prospective contractors contacting the Chair or Clerk to encourage or support their bid outside the prescribed process; (iii) documented evaluation of all responses against published criteria; and (iv) a report to the assembly on the outcome, with the assembly making the award decision by resolution.
d. The parish meeting is not bound to accept the lowest value tender or quotation for the purchase of goods, services or works.
e. Where a procurement or licence award involves commercially sensitive information, including the identity of competing bidders or their bids, the assembly may resolve to exclude the public and press from the relevant item in accordance with standing order 3(c). The Clerk may evaluate bids in the first instance and present a recommendation to the assembly for decision.
f. An elector who has submitted a bid for a contract or licence being considered by the assembly has a direct financial interest in the award decision. Such an elector shall declare that interest and withdraw from the vote on the award resolution in accordance with standing order 13, and shall not participate in the evaluation of any bids.
g. Where the value of a contract is likely to exceed the threshold specified by the Government from time to time, the assembly must consider whether the contract is subject to the requirements of current procurement legislation.
h. No contract, commercial licence or other legal commitment shall be entered into on behalf of the parish meeting without authorisation by resolution of the assembly. Instruments evidencing acts of the parish meeting shall be executed in accordance with standing order 22.

18. Responsibilities to Provide Information

a. In accordance with freedom of information legislation, the parish meeting shall publish information in accordance with its publication scheme and respond to requests for information held by the Meeting.
b. The parish meeting shall publish information in accordance with the requirements of the Smaller Authorities (Transparency Requirements) (England) Regulations 2015. Where the parish meeting’s gross annual income or expenditure exceeds £25,000 in any financial year, it may not claim exemption from the external limited assurance review and must meet the full publication requirements of the Transparency Code for that year. Where income or expenditure exceeds £200,000, the Local Government (Transparency Requirements) (England) Regulations 2015 apply instead.

Note: Little Longstone Parish Meeting’s expenditure exceeded £25,000 in 2025/26, meaning it could not claim exemption from external audit for that year and was required to meet the full Transparency Code publication requirements. The Clerk shall advise the assembly at each Annual Parish Meeting whether the exemption threshold has been exceeded in the preceding financial year and what publication obligations apply as a result.

19. Responsibilities under Data Protection Legislation

a. The parish meeting may appoint a Data Protection Officer, though is not legally required to do so. The Information Commissioner’s Office provides guidance on when a Data Protection Officer is required, which the Clerk shall review annually.
b. The parish meeting shall have policies and procedures in place to respond to an individual exercising statutory rights concerning their personal data.
c. The parish meeting shall have a written policy in place for responding to and managing a personal data breach.
d. The parish meeting shall keep a record of all personal data breaches comprising the facts relating to the breach, its effects and the remedial action taken.
e. The parish meeting shall ensure that information communicated in its privacy notice(s) is in an easily accessible and available form and kept up to date.
f. The parish meeting shall maintain a written record of its processing activities (Article 30, UK GDPR).
g. Registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office as a data controller is a statutory obligation. The Clerk shall arrange registration and annual renewal without requiring an assembly resolution. The assembly shall be notified of registration and any renewal at the next assembly after the action is taken.

20. Relations with the Press and Media

a. Requests from the press or other media for an oral or written comment or statement about the parish meeting or its activities shall be directed to the Clerk in the first instance, regardless of whether the request is addressed to the meeting, the Chair, the Vice-Chair or any other elector acting on behalf of the meeting. The Clerk shall respond in accordance with the Meeting’s policy in respect of dealing with the press and other media.
b. Official statements about the parish meeting, its assemblies or its decisions shall not be published on social media or other public platforms by the Chair, Vice-Chair or Clerk in their official capacity without authorisation by resolution, except for factual statements of decisions made. The Chair, Vice-Chair and Clerk should be aware that personal social media activity that could reasonably be attributed to the parish meeting may affect public confidence in the Meeting and should be approached with care.

21. Execution of Instruments and Legal Deeds

Note: Section 13(2) of the LGA 1972 provides that any act of a parish meeting may be signified by an instrument signed by the person presiding and two other local government electors present at the assembly at which the act was authorised. This is the primary route for executing contracts and other instruments that do not require a seal. Where an instrument under seal is required, the seal of the Parish Trustees shall be used if they have one; if they do not, the personal seals of those persons. In practice, most deeds can be executed without a seal under the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989. The Clerk should seek advice from the solicitor on the correct execution method for any deed before it is signed.

a. An instrument or contract shall not be executed on behalf of the parish meeting unless authorised by a resolution of the assembly.
b. Following a resolution of the assembly, any instrument evidencing an act of the parish meeting (other than a deed required by law to be under seal) shall be signed by the person who presided at the assembly at which the act was authorised and by two other local government electors who were present at that assembly (s.13(2), LGA 1972).
c. Where an instrument under seal is required, the Clerk shall seek advice from the solicitor as to the correct execution method before the instrument is presented for signature.
d. The Clerk shall arrange for instruments to be prepared and presented for signature promptly following the relevant resolution.

22. Communicating with the District and County Councils

a. An invitation to attend an assembly shall be sent, together with the agenda, to the ward councillor(s) of Derbyshire Dales District Council (or any successor unitary authority) and Derbyshire County Council representing the area of Little Longstone parish.
b. Unless the assembly determines otherwise, a copy of each letter sent to the District or County Council (or any successor unitary authority) shall be sent to the ward councillor(s) representing the area of the parish.

23. Standing Orders Generally

a. All or part of a standing order, except one that incorporates mandatory statutory or legal requirements, may be suspended by resolution in relation to the consideration of an item on the agenda for an assembly.
b. A motion to add to or vary or revoke one or more of these standing orders, except one that incorporates mandatory statutory or legal requirements, shall require written notice signed by at least three electors to be given to the Clerk in accordance with standing order 9.
c. The Clerk shall provide a copy of these standing orders to any elector who requests them.
d. The decision of the Chair of an assembly as to the application of standing orders at the assembly shall be final.
e. These standing orders shall be reviewed at the Annual Parish Meeting each year and amended as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, guidance or the circumstances of the parish meeting.

Resolution of Adoption

At an extraordinary assembly of Little Longstone Parish Meeting held on [DATE], it was resolved that these Standing Orders be adopted with immediate effect, superseding any previous standing orders of the parish meeting.