Cassington Parish Council
This Policy was adopted at a meeting on 4th July 2024 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 Member who does not attend any meetings for a period of six consecutive months will automatically be disqualified as a Councillor for Cassington Parish Council unless the Member has a statutory excuse (Membership of the Armed Forces in time of War) or the reason for absence was approved by affirmative resolution by the Council before the end of the period
- The Parish Clerk as Proper Officer not the Council as Corporate Body has a legal duty to discharge the disqualification to which there is no right of appeal.
- Group Leaders are therefore encouraged to monitor their members attendance and independent members are reminded they are responsible for monitoring their own attendance.
Council approved Reasons for Absence include:
Long Term Illness
Hospitalisation
Doctors Fit Note
Self-Isolation Bereavement
Funeral
Maternity
Paternity
Childcare
If absence becomes necessary for extended periods, members are advised to submit a request to the Parish Clerk giving the reason for absence, for approval by Council. Recording and Publishing Attendance
For all meetings of the Council, the Parish Clerk records Members’ attendance or nonattendance whether with or without apologies.
The Minutes of Meetings will show:
- Members in Attendance
- Members Apologies with Reason
- Members Absent with Accepted Reason or Statutory Excuse
- Members Absent