Cancellation of Hailsham Town Council’s Annual Meeting

The Regulations remove the requirement for local authorities to hold annual meetings this year and, in accordance with the regulations, any appointments which would usually be made at the Annual Meeting will continue until the next Annual Meeting.

As a result, the Chairman/Town Mayor Cllr Paul Holbrook, and Vice-Chairman/Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr Amanda O’Rawe, will remain in post for a further year (until May 2021).

This also means that all committee memberships and their chairs and vice-chairs will remain the same until May 2021.

Ordinary and Extra-Ordinary meetings of the Council will be held where possible via Zoom video conferences whilst coronavirus restrictions remain in place. Any new dates will be publicised via the Town Council’s social media pages and main website accordingly.

“It is our duty as a parish council to look after the health, safety and well-being of members, staff and the public during the pandemic,” said Mayor Cllr Paul Holbrook. “We are living through strange times and cancelling the Annual Meeting was the only option available to us.”

Cllr Holbrook added: “I’m happy to continue in the role as Mayor and Chairman for another year. While the lockdown has meant that all mayoral events have been cancelled, I’m still representing the town in other ways and I’ll continue to be on call to residents should they need to talk to me about Town Council services or discussing ways to help the vulnerable during the pandemic.”

“I have seen first-hand how difficult it has been for many people because of the present situation, but it has also been delightful to see how community spirit in our wonderful town is strong.”

At the beginning of April, the government set regulations before parliament allowing local councils to hold meetings online or through video/tele-conferencing. Until that time, it was reuired that councils had to meet in person and most decision-making meetings had be held in public (and be quorate). Town and parish councils are required to hold Annual Council Meetings in May but that requirement has been suspended for 2021.

The Town Council held a remote/online council meeting in late April to ensure that those councillors who have not attended meetings for six months do not automatically lose their seats, and an Emergency Grants Panel meeting last Tuesday [19th May] to agree the allocation of funding to local voluntary organisations working to support the Hailsham community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Clerk John Harrison commented: “We are monitoring developments concerning the coronavirus very closely, in line with guidance from the Government. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their understanding of these necessary precautions as we take every step possible to ensure their well-being and safety – and that of our members and staff.”