Cassington Parish Council
This Policy was adopted at a meeting on 4th March 2021 and will be reviewed in two years or sooner should legislation dictate.
MEETING ATTENDANCE POLICY
This policy is designed to promote efficient administration of meetings, avoid inquorate meetings, and permit timely rescheduling of meetings where necessary. It will also provide accountability for Members.
Apologies for Absence
Members shall give as much advance notice as possible of absence from all meetings either by mentioning at a previous meeting, email, or telephone to the Parish Clerk.
The deadline for receipt of an apology for absence shall be the end of office hours on the same day as the meeting.
Apologies for absence shall be made directly in advance and not via a third person such as another Member at the meeting.
Extended Periods of Absence
A Councillor who does not attend any meetings for a period of six consecutive months will automatically cease to be a Member of the Council unless the reason for absence is approved by the Council before the end of the period (Local Government Act 1972, S. 85).
If absence becomes necessary for extended periods, Councillors are advised to submit a request to the Parish Clerk giving the reason for absence, for approval by the Council.
Recording and Publishing Attendance
For all meetings of the Council, the Clerk will record Members’ attendance, or non-attendance with or without apologies, in a centrally held spreadsheet kept for that purpose. The Minutes of these meetings will show Members in attendance and Members absent with and without apologies.