Council meetings are formal events. They have a clear purpose – to make decisions – and are not just forums for debate. All Parish Council meetings are open to the public.

It is the Chairman's responsibility to ensure that effective and lawful decisions are made at Parish Council meetings. Decisions are taken by a vote; in the event of a tied vote, the Chairman has a second or casting vote.

There is one full Parish Council meeting and two Planning Committee meetings each month. The Recreation Committee meets bi monthly and the Finance Committee meets each quarter.

The Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council is held sometime during May, except in an ordinary election year when the meeting must be held within 14 days of the Councillors coming into office. The business transacted at this meeting is as follows: the election of the Chairman and the signing of the acceptance of office, the election of the Vice-Chairman, the appointment of Members to each of the Committees and to outside organisations.

All meetings usually take place in the Community Room, Chineham Village Hall, Thornhill Way, Chineham. The Finance Committee usually meets in the Parish Office.

Agendas for each meeting are displayed on the five Parish Council notice boards and on this website at least three clear days before the meeting.

The Parish Council notice boards are located at the following locations:

• Junction of Puttenham Road and Thornhill Way
• Hanmore Road beside the entrance to Four Lanes Schools
• Reading Road close to the junction with Morris Rise
• Chineham Shopping Centre close to the public toilets
• Elvetham Rise beside the footpath through Great Binfields Copse