All council meetings in May 2020 were postponed under the emergency legislation [The Local Authorities & Police & Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority & Police & Crime Panel Meetings) (England & Wales) Regulations 2020].
The Annual Meeting of the Council was due to take place on 27th May. Council reviewed its April decision to postpone this meeting at its meeting on 24th June. The decision was taken not to hold an annual meeting for 2020/21 & to defer to the next scheduled annual meeting in May 2021.
The Annual Parish Meeting – A legal briefing from NALC states that “The Local Authorities & Police & Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority & Police & Crime Panel Meetings) (England & Wales) Regulations 2020 does not include parish meeting within its meaning. Therefore, the changes permitted do NOT apply to parish meetings […] While we assume this must have been an oversight when the emergency legislation was drafted, it means there is no legal provision to postpone or hold remotely parish meetings, including the annual assemblies/parish meetings organised by councils each year. Nevertheless, current Government restrictions would not allow such meetings to go ahead in the normal manner, so the options are: wait until restrictions have been lifted, consider holding remotely, don’t hold one at all this year.” Exning Parish Council resolved at its June meeting to not hold an Annual Parish Meeting for 2020/21. However, the parish council invites questions/comments to be submitted by letter or email to the Clerk by parishioners. These will be received by council at the meeting on 23rd September. However, parishioners may contact the council & Clerk at any time throughout the year.