Full Parish Council meetings - Douglas Room (upstairs) at Barton Village Hall on the first Thursday of the month commencing 7.00pm.
Members of the public are invited to speak on relevant matters of concern for the first 10-minutes or so of each meeting, and are welcome to attend for the rest of the meeting as observers. Please advise the Clerk of your attendance and the topic you wish to bring before the Council.
Committee meeting notes will appear in Additional Documents to each full council meeting.
Planning meetings are held fortnightly on a Monday evening at 5pm, Small Meeting Room, Barton Village Hall excepting Bank Holidays, please check with the Clerk for dates as these are subject to applications received. Planning application details and comments are ratified by full Council and will appear in Additional Documents to BPC meetings below.
Closed session (“Exclusion of Press and Public”)
The Parish Council is committed to openness and transparency in its decision-making. However, there are limited circumstances where it is legally appropriate to exclude the press and public from part of a meeting. This is done in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, which allows councils to consider certain types of confidential or exempt information in private.
The Council may resolve to exclude the press and public where the business to be discussed involves information that is sensitive in nature, including:
- Commercially sensitive matters (for example, contracts under negotiation, tenders, or supplier pricing)
- Legal matters (such as advice from solicitors or ongoing disputes)
- Personnel issues (including staffing, complaints, or disciplinary matters)
While the Council aims to be transparent, discussing certain details such as contracts or procurement in public could:
- Prejudice the Council’s ability to secure best value for money
- Undermine fair competition between suppliers
- Disclose sensitive financial or contractual information
Before excluding the press and public, the Council will pass a formal resolution to move to a closed session, stating the reasons for exclusion. The Council will always aim to keep closed sessions to a minimum. Decisions taken in private will be minuted, and information will be made public where it is appropriate to do so. This approach ensures that the Council balances its duty of transparency with its responsibility to protect sensitive information and act in the best interests of the community.