What is the Annual Parish Meeting?

The Annual Parish Meeting (APM) is a meeting of the electors of the parish, not a committee meeting of the Parish Council. It must be held between 1 March and 1 June each year.

The meeting is chaired by the Chairman of the Parish Council (if present), but it is an opportunity for residents to hear about the Parish Council’s work and to raise matters of local interest.

The Annual Parish Meeting exists to:

• Report back to residents on the Council’s activities, projects and finances over the past year
• Provide transparency and accountability for decisions made using public funds
• Give residents a forum to ask questions, raise concerns and share ideas
• Celebrate local achievements and community initiatives

It is an important part of the parish’s democratic life and helps build trust between the Council and the community it serves.

Benefits to the Parish Council

• Demonstrates openness and good governance
• Helps Councillors understand community priorities
• Strengthens public confidence in Council decisions
• Provides an opportunity to explain complex or long-term projects
• Supports evidence-based decision-making for the coming year

Benefits to Residents and Community Groups

• Residents gain a clearer understanding of how the parish council works
• Community groups can showcase projects supported by grants or other Council actions
• Encourages wider community involvement and volunteering
• Provides a platform for local voices to be heard outside of formal council meetings

The meeting is an ideal opportunity to:

• Highlight how grant funding has been used
• Demonstrate the impact of Council support on local groups and services
• Encourage future applications and partnership working

Attendance and Participation

• All local government electors for the parish are entitled to attend, speak and vote.
• Parish councillors customarily attend and present reports but do not make resolutions on behalf of the council at this meeting.