Annual Village Meetings

The Annual Residents Meeting or Annual Assembly of Electors, in legal terms, is a quite separate body from the Parish Council, but it is invariably the Parish Council that arranges it.  Its decisions are not binding on the Parish Council, although the Parish Council does take heed of what is said at the meeting.

The Annual Residents Meeting is a legacy from the Middle Ages, when Local Councils did not exist, and all local decision making was carried out by meetings of the whole community, taking place in the church vestry.

In Peasedown St John, this meeting is referred to as the Annual Village Meeting.  

This Meeting is open to all electors of the Parish, who have the right not only to attend but also to speak on any matter of local interest [in Peasedown this is done via questions submitted in advance of or at the meeting - see details below*]. This is in contrast to a Council meeting, where electors who are not Councillors have no automatic right to speak.  Peasedown St John Parish Council does however, have a set time before every Council meeting when electors can raise matters of concern.

The Annual Village Meeting must be held each year between March 1st and June 1st.

The minutes of this meeting can only be approved by the next Annual Village Meeting which will, of course, not be held until the following year. It is however, good practice to bring the draft minutes of the Annual Village Meeting to the next convenient meeting of the Parish Council, since otherwise matters are unlikely to get progressed.

Notice is hereby given that:

The Annual Assembly of Peasedown St. John Parish will be held

AGENDA

1. Welcome - Cllr. Jonathan Rich (Chair of Parish Council)

2. Apologies.

3. To receive the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 28^th March 2023.

4. Report from the Headteacher of Peasedown St John Primary School – Ruth Noall.

5. Report from a representative of the Avon & Somerset Constabulary – P.C.S.O. Tony McIntosh. 

6. Report from the B&NES Ward Councillors – Gavin Heathcote and Karen Walker.

7. Annual Peppercorn Ceremony for the rent of Beacon Hall & Field.

8. Video and in person reports from Peasedown St. John Parish Council Chair and Chairs/Vice-Chairs of Standing Committees and Chairs of Advisory Panels

   a. Full Council/General - Cllr. Jonathan Rich

   b. Cemetery Committee – Cllr. Audrey Gillard-Sprake & Cllr. Howard Hartley

   c. Finance & Amenities Committee – Cllr. Andy Larcombe & Cllr Jo Davis

   d. Planning Committee - Cllr. Mandy Clarke

   e. Persimmon Land Transfer Advisory Panel - Cllr. Kathy Thomas

   f. Personnel Committee – Cllr. Simon Kidd

  g. The un-uadited Parish Council accounts for year ending 31 March 2024 - Cllr. Andy Larcombe.

15-minute break during which light refreshments will be provided

9. Questions for the Chair*

10. Brief reports from the following organisations providing feedback on how their 2023/24 Community Grant awards were spent (subject to confirmation):

a. Bath Allstarz – Transport to Cheerleading Competition and Summer Fun Days at Beacon Hall.

b. Braysdown Allotments Committee – Allotments BBQ

c. Bath Area Play Project – Summer Holiday Play Day at Beacon Field.

d. Mini Police – Coach trip to Dog and Horse Police Unit and promotional boards for use at events and activities.

e. Peasedown Cricket Club – Fireworks Display

Cllr. Jonathan Rich
Chair of Peasedown St. John Parish Council
12^th March 2024

*The Parish Meeting is an opportunity for the electorate of the Parish of Peasedown St. John (covering Peasedown St. John, Braysdown, Carlingcott and Woodborough) to raise any matters of concern to them that relates to their local community. Due to time limitations at the meeting, we are requesting written notice of any matters to be raised by 25^th March 2024. Questions or matters not submitted in advance may not be answered at the meeting; but a written response will be sent to the raiser afterwards. To submit questions or if you have any queries, please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council (contact details above).

The Annual Village Meeting, scheduled to be held on 31st March 2020, was cancelled due to Coronavirus restrictions preventing group gatherings, this was in accordance with Statutory Instrument 2020 No. 392.