Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the number of inquorate parish councils as of 29 June 2022.

The department has made no assessment of inquorate parish councils as of 29 June 2022. Local authorities under section 91 of the Local Government Act 1972, have the power to make an Order appointing temporary members to a parish council where, due to the number of vacancies, the council cannot function until other councillors are elected and take up office. This is to ensure that a parish council can continue to operate without becoming inquorate.