Response to; A registered elector and taxpayer of Preston 3.

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3. Some Suggested Documents for your campaign.

DOCUMENY 1.

            Notice of Meeting Preston Parish

All registered electors of Preston Parish are hereby invited to at meeting to be held at the Community Hall, Main Street Preston.

on (day, date and time)...............................................................................

The Agenda will be:

A Motion proposing that a Poll of the whole Parish is held on the following question:

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

This meeting is called by the undersigned six electors of this Parish

Signature........................................Address..........................................

Signature........................................Address...........................................

Signature........................................Address...........................................

Signature........................................Address...........................................

Signature........................................Address...........................................

Signature........................................Address...........................................

Dated..............................................

DOCUMENT 2.

Contact the Parish Council Chairman and Parish Clerk and inform them of your intention to convene a Parish Meeting by telephone, meeting or by letter. Suggested form of Letter to Clerk to the Parish Council/Chairman to the Parish Council prior to the Parish Meeting.

Preston Parish Council

(Address)

(Date)

Dear

Re.   Parish Meeting.

I refer to our recent telephone conversation/meeting/letter concerning the above. As a matter of courtesy I am formally writing to notify you that I have now arranged the parish meeting for (date, time and place).

I enclose herewith a copy of the Notice of Meeting for your information. I have to-day displayed this notice on (list of locations, request to have it listed in both Parish Notice Boards on Main Street and at the Community Hall).

I have to-day sent a letter similar to this one to (Chairman/Clerk of the Parish Council) together with a copy of “Notice of Meeting”.

At the Parish Meeting I, or one of those calling the meeting, will propose the following motion:

That this Parish Meeting hereby requests the East Riding County Council to hold a poll under Schedule 12, part 3 of the Local Government Act, 1972. The question to be asked shall be:

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

If you have any queries about the proposed Parish Meeting please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your assistance to date.

Yours sincerely,

DOCUMENT 3.

                          Preston Parish Meeting

being held in the Community Hall, Main Street, Preston.

At 7 pm on (Date)

                                             AGENDA

1.     The appointment of a Chairman for the Meeting. (unless Parish Council Chairman attends)

2.            The appointment of a Secretary for the Meeting. (unless Parish Clerk attends)

3.            A proposal by (name), a parishioner of Preston Parish as follows:-

That this Parish Meeting hereby requests the East Riding County Council to hold a poll under Schedule 12, part 3 of the Local Government Act, 1972. The question to be asked shall be:

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

Proposer speaks to the proposal (see prepared address DOCUMENT 4)

4.            An open discussion on that proposal

5.            A vote (record full details of numbers).

6.            Close of Meeting.

Document 4.

The Proposal and Suggested address to the Parish Meeting to be given by the proposer:

The Proposal:

That this parish meeting hereby requests the East Riding County Council to hold a poll under Schedule 12, part 3 of the Local Government Act, 1972. The question to be asked shall be:

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

The Purpose of this Parish Meeting:

It is not the purpose of this meeting to have a debate on the advantages or disadvantages of such a Play Park. Neither is it intended to be a forum for a discussion on the merits or otherwise of the Play Park.

The purpose of this meeting tonight is to fulfill a simple legal requirement and it is this. If at least ten parishioners vote for this proposal then the East Riding County Council will be obliged to hold a parish poll in this parish asking the question set out in the proposal.

That poll must take place within not more than 25 days of this meeting.

The sole purpose of this meeting tonight is to compel Preston Parish Council to be open and transparent when it comes to major projects affecting the community as a whole and to seek a broader consensus from within our community.

Procedural Requirements:

There are a number of procedural requirements that I am required to fulfill, as follows:

On the (day and date) I posted a formal Notice of Meeting signed by six parishioners of Preston Parish on/in (list of all locations where notice was left/posted).

On (day and date) I notified by letter both the Clerk and the Chairman of Preston Parish Council of the intention to hold this Parish Meeting and sent them a copy of the “Notice of Meeting”.

(The following to be included only if the Clerk and Chairman are not present) I spoke to both individuals on (date) and invited them to attend but they were unable to accept that invitation.

The Legislation:

Schedule 12, part 3 of the Local Government Act, 1972 places a requirement on Town and Parish Councils to hold a ‘local poll’ on any subject which concerns the electors of that town or parish, provided at least 10 or one third of the electors, whichever is the least, attend a Parish Meeting and vote to have a poll.

If such a poll is voted for at this Parish Meeting then East Riding County Council is required to hold that Parish poll within 14 to 25 days of that vote.

The Background to this Parish Poll:

Why are we seeking to hold this Parish Poll?

There has been much confusion regarding the Preston Play Park, we have had leaflets through our doors in 2012 stating that fund raising is progressing well and a start on installation should begin in early 2013, that time scale has come and gone with little further information being made available.

There has been statements by people at the head of the project on local Social Media sites to the effect that sufficient funds have been raised and installation is expected to begin in September 2013. There has been contrary statements on the same sites and at the same time by people leading the project that there is a substantial shortfall in funding and the Play Park may not happen after all.

There is much confusion regarding the project, arguing amongst councillors/trustees, people trying to “take over” the management of the project, serious questions on the accounting for funds, outside personnel having to “rescue” the project, an insurmountable shortage of funds whilst at the same time the equipment has been ordered, we need clarity and have a legal right to the information requested as residents, electors and precept payers of the parish.

Preston Charities and Preston Parish council are now heavily involved with the project and appear to be making public funds available to the project and the amounts are rumoured to be substantial.

Preston Parish Council appears to have the issue in ‘Lockdown’ and are refusing to make information available to residents which denies residents their rightful opportunity for debate on the issue.

If the project is meant for “all Preston” and substantial public funds are being made available with all available external funding being routed towards the Play Park along with ‘commuted sums’ it is essential that all residents have the opportunity to voice their opinions, it must not be left solely to the council and a few parents to decide the issue and merits of such a scheme when the cost falls upon all residents.

If the project is sufficiently along that commitment to it can no longer be abandoned all information should be made available to residents.

I must stress this matter cuts across the range of opinions in the village, the purpose of this Parish Meeting and Poll is not to denigrate or praise the Play Park. It is to provide the residents of the Parish with the information they have a right to as registered electors, residents and taxpayers and to give a voice to the residents of the Parish.

DOCUMENT 5.

Suggested form of letter to Parish Council Chairman and Clerk after the Parish Meeting has been held if they were not present.

Dear

Re.   Parish meeting (date)

I write to inform you that at (time and date) a Parish Meeting was held at the Community Hall, Main Street, Preston on the motion of the need for a parish poll on the question,

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

 The proposer for the motion was (identify) of (address).

I enclose the following three documents:

A form of Agenda for the meeting.

A written formal proposal and an address to that proposal.

A copy of the minutes of the meeting.

You will note that (number) parishioners attended the meeting and that (number) voted for the proposal. The requirements, therefore, for holding a Parish Poll have been met.

I have this day notified East Riding County Council of the result of this meeting and served upon them the three above-mentioned documents requesting a parish poll.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

(Name)

DOCUMENT 6.

Suggested form of letter to Monitoring Officer of East Riding County Council following the successful holding of a Parish Meeting.

For the information of the Monitoring Officer (identify)

Dear (identify),

Parish Meeting at Preston Community Hall, Main Street, Preston.

I am writing to inform you that a meeting of the Preston Parish was held at (time and date).

The following motion was carried:

“Do you want Preston Parish Council to make a full disclosure of costs, funding sources and all relevant information relating to any Parish Consultation and its outcome to the proposed Preston Play Park? Yes or No”

The voting was:           

FOR - (number)

AGAINST - (number)

ABSTENTIONS - (number)

Number of electors present at the meeting - (number). Include names and addresses.

The Proposer for the motion was (name and full address).

The requirements for holding a Parish Poll in this Parish have therefore been met (at least ten electors supporting the proposal, or at least one third of those electors there present, whichever is the least).

I enclose for your information the following documents:

A copy of the Agenda which was distributed at the meeting.

The formal proposal and address, which was given at the meeting.

A signed copy of the Minutes of the Meeting.

I would be grateful if you would now hold a Parish Poll, posing the above question, within 14 – 25 days as required under the regulations.

Would you please inform me, as soon as possible, the date on which the poll will be held and all the arrangements pursuant to that event.

Yours sincerely,

Name

This completes our response to a Preston registered elector and taxpayer. We hope it has been helpful to your efforts.

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.