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Co-option Rules

 
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ILP
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Joined: 20 Oct 2011
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:22 pm    Post subject: Co-option Rules Reply with quote

Hello. THis is my first time on the forum and I would be grateful for some advice. Following the retirement of a parish councillor, our parish council wants to co-opt a councillor. Apparently they have someone in mind and have asked him if he would like to become councillor. Can they do this? I thought there would be a transparent process that they'd have to follow ie advertising, notice etc?

We are also having problems with the council in that we have asked for a copy of the relevant constitutional rules but have been ignored. Also, the minutes which are published are five months out fo date and too brief to make any sense. Who is the best person to approach about this given that the parish council keep ignoring me?

Many thanks
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Chris
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Joined: 29 Aug 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,

Unfortunately when it comes to parish councillors resigning/retiring etc the remaining councillors usually do have someone in mind to replace them in order to retain the status quo without any new blood coming in and rocking the boat. Sad

If you do want to pre-empt this and have more of a say you need to "force" an election for that position. I beleive that you need 10 signatories from current residents residing in the parish who are on the electoral register to do this. More importantly you need to have someone wishing to stand for the position! Contact your district / borough council's returning oficer for more information.

Our Parish Council co-opted for many years until we got wise to the process. Very Happy

Our Parish Council's minutes too are very brief and we have trouble obtaining information that should rightly be in the public domain. Try the information commissioner under the FOI Act if you do not get any luck with the clerk.

Please keep us informed as to how it goes.


Last edited by Chris on Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:27 am; edited 1 time in total
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ILP
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:26 am    Post subject: CO-option Reply with quote

Thanks, I much appreciate the advice. I'll keep you updated as to how it goes!
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Mike Goss
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was elected as Chairman of our Parish Council in May, and one of the first things I did was to get the minutes expanded. Parish Council minutes should record the decisions reached, and a summary of the discussion leading up to that decision. Parish Council minutes should not be a verbatim record of the discussions.

In your position I'd have a word with the Chairman, and if they don't respond try to persuade one of the other councillors to get a discussion about the minutes on the agenda.

Mike
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Sophina
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi, your clerk is legally obliged to inform the Returning Officer as soon as a casual vacancy is announced. The returning officer will post notice on the Primary council website. She will send the clerk a notice to display in the most conspicous places for residents to view and to decide if they wish to call an election. It takes 10 residents to sign a request for an election and the forms can be obtained from your returning officer.

If no request are forthwith then the seat is uncontested and the parish council can co-opt. Otherwise the returning officer will give notice of the date that a poll will be called.

Unless your clerk is like ours and since 2011 has maladministered the election process by not informing the Returning Officer of 8 casual vacancies over that time.
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