Society
Earby’s Annual Town Meeting
Join us on Wednesday 27th May 2026 at the Town Council office Community Room from 6.30pm to listen to what we and others have delivered this past year and what we aspire to deliver in the year ahead on behalf of residents, visitors and those of you working in the town. This is your meeting...
Published: 21 May 2026
The purpose of this Annual Town Meeting is to give residents an open forum to discuss local affairs, raise questions, and hear updates about what has been happening in their community. While it is often confused with the Annual Meeting of the Town Council, they are two completely different things.
Key Purposes
- Community Communication: It provides a platform for the Town Council, local charities, and community groups to report on their activities and finances over the past 12 months.
- Giving Residents a Voice: It allows registered electors to ask questions, raise concerns, and make suggestions on anything they feel is valuable to our town.
- Direct Democracy: Unlike formal council meetings rules, members of the public are actively encouraged to speak and debate local issues.
Essential Rules & Facts
- Who runs it: It is a meeting of the electors (the local residents), not the council itself. However, the Chair of the Town Council is legally required to preside over it, if they are present.
- Who can attend/speak: Anyone can attend, but only registered electors of the parish are legally permitted to speak and vote on any resolutions made.
- Timeframe: Legally, every parish in England is required to hold this meeting annually between March 1 and June 30. It cannot start before 6:00 PM.
- Voting & Decisions: Electors can vote to pass resolutions or make proposals. While these votes cannot legally force the Parish Council to take action (they are not legally binding), the council will usually review and discuss them at subsequent council meetings.
