The Chairman’s role is that of team leader for Council meetings.
The Chairman should leave the general administration of the Council to the Clerk, who is the official, and legal, Proper Officer. The Chairman is no different from any other Councillor and no one Councillor may make decisions individually; it is only the Council who makes the decision collectively, and at meetings, in public.
The Chairman is elected every year at the annual meeting as the first item of business and must be elected from the members of the Council. They will sign a declaration of acceptance of office, which includes an undertaking to observe the Council’s Code of Conduct .
The Chairman calls the Annual Parish Meeting and presides at it. However, the Clerk calls all ordinary meetings and issues the summons to Councillors.
The Chairman has a second or casting vote when necessary .
The minutes of the meeting must be kept and signed by the Chairman at the following meeting . If the Chairman is present at a meeting he must preside and is responsible for ensuring that meetings are conducted properly with the aim of producing intelligible decisions.
The Chairman works with the Clerk to ensure that the Council is properly informed and makes legal decisions, but it is the Clerk who will submit responses.
The Chairman is the representative ‘face’ of the council to the local and wider community and may also be known as the Town Mayor.