There are two meetings that a Parish Council needs to convene in the spring each year and because of their names being very similar a lot of people are confused about what needs to be done at each.
1. The Annual Parish Council Meeting
The first is the Annual Parish Council meeting, this is an official meeting of the Parish Council and as such has to be called each year in order for the Parish Council to be able to conduct it's business. Although the public are welcome to attend they do not have the right to speak unless there is a 'Public Question' time allowed on the agenda, which is outside of the official meeting.
2. The Annual Parish Meeting/Assembly
The second is the Annual Parish Meeting/Assembly, although convened by the Parish Council it is NOT an official Parish Council Meeting, but rather is a meeting of local government electors registered for the area for which it is held. It must be held between 1st March and 1st June. It is entirely separate from the Annual Parish Council Meeting, it is the electors meeting where the Parish Council reports on what it has done in the previous year. All electors are encouraged to attend as it is their meeting and they have the opportunity to ask question and make comments to the Parish Council on any matter relating to the parish without the restrictions of an official Parish Council meeting, so it should be a relatively informal meeting.