Local Government Act 1972

15 Chairman and vice-chairman of parish council or meeting. E

(1) The chairman of a parish council shall be elected annually by the council from among the [F1 elected] councillors.

(2) The election of a chairman shall be the first business transacted at the annual meeting of the parish council and if, apart from subsection (8) below, the person presiding at the meeting would have ceased to be a member of the parish council, he shall not be entitled to vote in the election except in accordance with subsection (3) below.

(3) In the case of an equality of votes in the election of a chairman the person presiding at the meeting shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.

(4) The chairman shall, unless he resigns or becomes disqualified, continue in office until his successor becomes entitled to act as chairman.

(5) A parish council may pay the chairman for the purpose of enabling him to meet the expenses of his office such allowance as the council think reasonable.

(6) The parish council may appoint [F2 a member] [F2 one of the elected members] of the council to be vice-chairman of the council.

(7) The vice-chairman shall, unless he resigns or becomes disqualified, hold office until immediately after the election of a chairman at the next annual meeting of the council.

(8) During their term of office the chairman and vice-chairman shall continue to be members of the council notwithstanding the provisions of this Act relating to the retirement of parish councillors.

(9) Subject to any standing orders made by the parish council, anything authorised or required to be done by, to or before the chairman may be done by, to or before the vice-chairman.

(10) In a parish not having a separate parish council, the parish meeting shall, subject to any provisions of a grouping order, at their annual assembly elect a chairman for the year who shall continue in office until his successor is elected.

[F3 (11) If the parish has the style of community, the chairman and vice-chairman shall (respectively) have the style—

(a) “chairman of the community council”;

(b) “vice-chairman of the community council”.

(12) If the parish has the style of neighbourhood, the chairman and vice-chairman shall (respectively) have the style—

(a) “chairman of the neighbourhood council”;

(b) “vice-chairman of the neighbourhood council”.

(13) If the parish has the style of village, the chairman and vice-chairman shall (respectively) have the style—

(a) “chairman of the village council”;

(b) “vice-chairman of the village council”.

(14) If parishes which have an alternative style are grouped under a common parish council, subsection (11), (12) or (13) (as appropriate) applies to the chairman and vice-chairman of that council as the subsection would apply in the case of the council of an individual parish.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 15(1) inserted (1.4.2008 for the purposes of making regulations under s. 16A and otherwise prosp.) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 76(2)(a), 245; S.I. 2008/917, art. 4

F2 Words in s. 15(6) substituted (1.4.2008 for the purposes of making regulations under s. 16A and otherwise prosp.) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 76(2)(b), 245; S.I. 2008/917, art. 4

F3 S. 15(11)-(14) inserted (13.2.2008) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 75(6), 245; S.I. 2008/337, art. 2(a)