Response to; A registered elector and taxpayer of Preston 2.

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2. 15 steps needed to successfully demand a Parish Poll.

Step One.

Obtain six signatories (full signatures and addresses) on the ‘Notice of Meeting’ DOCUMENT (1). Once all the signatures have been obtained you can complete the top part of the Notice by filling in the location and time, day and date of the intended Parish Meeting.

Note that you must allow at least seven days between the date of the Notice and the date of the Parish Meeting. Our advice is to allow at least eight to ten days.

Note the following points: Check and ensure that your intended location for the meeting (Community Hall?) is available and what it will cost. You cannot use licensed premises.

Ensure that on the day of the meeting the key will be available for you an hour before the meeting starts.

Meetings are allowable during the evening, not during the day, so fix the time for your meeting at 7 p.m.

Photocopy your Notice of Meeting DOCUMENT (1) making sufficient copies to be used (a) as Posters advertising the Parish Meeting and (b) as copies to accompany your letters to the Parish and East Riding Councils. Always retain the original.

Step Two.

Place your photocopies of the Notice of Meeting in well-used locations in the parish such as, Post Office, village shop, community hall, parish notice boards, Social Media Sites, etc. Make and keep a note of exactly where and when you placed these notices.

Step Three.

Immediately after placing your notices as above, and on the same day, send letters to both the Chairman and Clerk to the Parish Council DOCUMENT (2) notifying them both of your arrangements for a Parish Meeting.

You must enclose a copy of the Notice of Meeting with your letter. It is preferable if you can deliver these letters and enclosures by hand. If not, ensure the letters are sent by Recorded Delivery.

Step Four.

Write a Press Release  and distribute (by hand, post, email or telephone) to local newspapers, Social Media sites, etc.

Step Five.

Prepare sufficient copies (approx three dozen) of the Agenda DOCUMENT (3) and retain for distribution at the Parish Meeting.

Step Six.

During the time between the compilation of the Notice of Meeting and the Parish Meeting, continually ensure that your ten supporters (more if available) know of the details of the Parish Meeting and that they are able to confirm their availability. It is as well to check on this more than once and certainly on the day of the meeting. It is advisable to have two or three substitutes standing by.

Step Seven.

Prior to the Parish Meeting prepare and practice your Proposal and speech DOCUMENT (4). Be totally conversant with the content of what you intend to say and, if the chairman of the meeting is not the Parish Council Chairman, allow the appointed chairman to see your speech and be aware of what you will be saying.

Step Eight.

On the day of the Parish Meeting ensure your ten supporters (plus substitutes) are still available for the meeting. On the evening of the meeting have a reliable person on the door, checking (a) that your ten supporters (and substitutes) are present and (b) who of those entering are on the electoral roll for the parish (if possible). The person checking should take names and addresses of those entering and retain that record. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:- Because a person is a resident of Preston does not automatically ensure they are on the electoral register for the parish.

Step Nine.

After the distribution of the Agenda DOCUMENT (3) to all those present at the meeting the organiser (you) should make your proposal and address the meeting from your script DOCUMENT (4).

IMPORTANT NOTE: - It is imperative that both you and the Chairman try and stop any amendments being put forward from the floor, which will weaken the proposal or confuse potential voters. Once you have given your speech the Chairman should ask for a seconder and then a vote. Ensure that all those voting are parishioners. (Their names must be recorded in the minutes).

As soon as that has been accomplished you then have to read the ‘procedural point’ and request a vote on it (no need for a seconder). In relation to both set of votes, if ten or one third of those present, which ever is the least, vote in favour then a poll may be requested. The meeting should then be closed.

Ensure that the minutes have been properly kept. The chairman, the secretary and you are all required to sign the minutes, the agenda and a copy of the Notice of Meeting.

Step Ten.

On the day after the meeting dispatch a letter DOCUMENT (5) to both the Chairman and Clerk of the Parish Council (if not present at the meeting). Send a letter to East Riding Council DOCUMENT (6) requesting a parish poll. The letter to East Riding County Council should be delivered by hand and a receipt obtained or by Recorded Delivery.

Step Eleven.

Upon notification from the East Riding Council,

(a) That it will organise a poll and,

(b) The time, day, date and location of the a poll, dispatch a Press Release to local      newspapers, Social Media sites, HU12 Online, Preston Village Debate, etc.

Check with East Riding County Council and obtain their agreement for you and named others to attend the count, Preston having 2 Wards may require 2 polling booths if so ensure you have them both covered.

Step Twelve.

In the week leading up to the poll you and your supporters should leaflet every dwelling in the parish with two leaflets. The first leaflet will need to be an informational leaflet concerned with Play Park, how it’s being dealt with by the Parish Council and costs, etc.

The second leaflet will give the time, day, date and location of the poll and will urge parishioners to vote and should be distributed on the day before the poll.

This is the final reminder of the poll.

Step Thirteen.

Do not attend the poll (other than to vote). Stay away from the polling booth. You will already have been told when the polling booth will close (usually 9 p.m.). Attend at that time (with whoever else has been identified as an observer) and witness the count. You will probably be asked to confirm the details of the poll. Do so.

Step Fourteen.

Prepare a press release giving the result of the poll suitable for distribution to local newspapers, Social Media sites etc.

Step Fifteen.

Prepare and dispatch a letter of thanks to East Riding Council including particular areas where the staff have been especially helpful. In the same letter ask how much the poll has cost.

You have now completed the organising of a parish poll in Preston. Well done.

If there are any residents with similar experience of the council do please contact us by comment or email. If you wish we will post on your experience without your identity being released, or not post anything if you simply want to share your experience it’s entirely up to you. We would love to hear your story, your not alone, there are a number of us, let us compare notes and grow as a group.