Parish Meeting

Parish meeting. Established for every rural parish by the Local Government Act, 1894 (see now Local Government Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 51), ss. 43-55, 77, and Sch. III., Part VI.), and consisting of the registered parliamentary electors and county council electors of the parish, each having one vote and no more on any question, or in the case of an election for each of any number of persons not exceeding the number to be elected; bound to assemble annually, or if thee be no parish council, at least twice a year. The proceedings must not begin earlier than 6 p.m. Every question is decided by a majority of those present at a meeting, and voting, the decision of the chairman being final unless a poll, which is taken by ballot, be demanded. On the question of the appointment of chairman for a year, or of the adoption of any 'adoptive Act' (see below) and other questions, any one elector may demand a poll. The chairman of the parish council, or any two parish councillors, or any six registered electors, may, by the 1933 Act, Sch. III, Part VI, para. 2, convene a parish meeting.

The main business of a parish meeting is to elect the parish council. But whether the parish has a parish council or not, the parish meeting had the exclusive power of adopting the Baths and Wash-houses Acts, the (English) Public Libraries Act, and other 'adoptive Acts.' See that title; PUBLIC HEALTH.

If the population of a parish be below 300, the county council may by order establish a parish council for that parish.

The annual assembly of the parish meeting is on some day between 1st March and 1st April.