Meeting Attendance Policy

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 clerk.

The deadline for receipt of an apology for absence shall be the end of office hours (5 p.m.) on the same day as the meeting.

Apologies for absence shall be made directly in advance wherever possible 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 formally approved by the council before the end of the period.

If absence becomes necessary for extended intervals, councillors are advised to submit a request to the parish clerk giving the reason for absence, for approval by the council.

A statutory excuse may include membership of the Armed Forces in time of war.

Recording and publishing attendance

For all meetings of the council, the clerk will record members’ attendance, non-attendance, and any apologies received within the meeting minutes. The minutes will identify those members present, those absent with apologies, and those absent without apologies, together with any approval of absence granted by the Council where required.

This policy was adopted at a meeting on 24^th September 2026 (minute reference 26/225) and will be reviewed in two years or sooner if required.