Meetings
Bridge Parish Council meetings generally take place on the second Thursday of each month (except August) at 19:30 at the village hall (19:00 in December). The Planning Committee meets 15 minutes before the Parish Council meeting
Council meetings are important; this is where decision are made for the parish. The chairman is in charge of the meeting, and the clerk supports the council as it discusses business. The meeting is the council team in action. Council meetings and committee meetings are formal events, not social occasions. They have a clear purpose – to make decisions – and are not just talking shops. Furthermore, they are public events; the meetings must be advertised and the press and public have a right to observe how the council operates. The same approach should be adopted for sub-committees. Exceptions are when sensitive issues are discussed (such as legal, contractual or staffing matters) and then the council can agree to exclude the press and public for just that item of business.
It may seem strange, but local electors/residents do not have the right to speak at any parish council meeting, including the annual council meeting, but many councils set aside a period, often before the meeting starts, to allow for public comments and questions.
The Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council are controlled by law, namely the Local Government Act 1972.