Vestries Act 1818 F1(repealed 1.6.1992)

No vestry or meeting of the inhabitants in vestry of or for any parish shall be holden, until public notice shall have been given of such vestry, and of the place and hour of holding the same, and the special purpose thereof, three days at the least before the day to be appointed for holding such vestry, . . . F3 by affixing the same, fairly written or printed, on the principal door of such church or chapel.

In case the rector or vicar or perpetual curate shall not be present, the person so assembled in pursuance of such notice shall forthwith nominate and appoint by plurality of votes, to be ascertained as herein-after as directed, one of the inhabitants of such parish to be the chairman of and preside in every such vestry; and in all cases of equality of votes upon any question arising therein the chairman shall (in addition to such vote or votes as he may by virtue of this Act be entitled to give in right of his assessment) have the casting vote; and minutes of the proceedings and resolutions of every vestry shall be fairly and distinctly entered in a book (to be provided for that purpose by the churchwardens and overseers of the poor), and shall be signed by the chairman, and by such other of the inhabitants present as shall think proper to sign the same.

In all such vestries every inhabitant present who shall, by the last rate which shall have been made for the relief of the poor, have been assessed and charged upon or in respect of any annual rent, profit, or value not amounting to fifty pounds, shall have and be entitled to give one vote and no more; and every inhabitant there present, who shall in such last rate have been assessed or charged upon or in respect of any annual rent or rents, profit or value, amounting to fifty pounds or upwards (whether in one or in more than one sum or charge), shall have and be entitled to give one vote for every twenty-five pounds of annual rent, profit, and value, upon or in respect of which he shall have been assessed or charged in such last rate, so nevertheless that no inhabitant shall be entitled to give more than six votes; and in cases where two or more of the inhabitants present shall be jointly rated, each of them shall be entitled to vote according to the proportion and amount which shall be borne by him of the joint charge; and where one only of the persons jointly rated shall attend, he shall be entitled to vote according to and in respect of the whole of the joint charge.

Provided, that when any person shall have become an inhabitant of any parish, or become liable to be rated therein, since the making of the last rate for the relief of the poor thereof, he shall be entitled to vote for and in respect of the lands, tenements, and property for which he shall have become liable to be rated and shall consent to be rated, in like manner as if he should have been actually rated for the same.

Provided always, that all provisions, authorities, and directions in this Act contained in relation to parishes shall extend and be construed to extend to all townships, vills, and places having separate overseers of the poor, and maintaining their poor separately; and that all the directions and regulations herein contained in regard to vestries shall extend and be applied to all meetings which may by law be holden of the inhabitants of any parish, township, vill, or place, for any of the purposes in this Act expressed; and that the notices by this Act required to be given of every vestry may, in places in which there is or shall be no parish church or chapel, or where there shall not be divine service in such church or chapel, be given and published in such manner as notices of the like nature shall have been there usually given and published, or as shall be most effectual for communicating the same to the inhabitants of every such parish, township, vill, or place respectively.

Provided also, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to alter the time of holding any vestry, parish, or town meeting, which is by the authority of any Act required to be holden on any certain day, or within any certain time in such Act prescribed and directed; nor shall any thing in this Act contained extend to take away, lessen, prejudice, or affect the powers of any vestry or meeting holden in any parish, township, or place, by virtue of any special Act or Acts, of any ancient and special usage or custom, or to change or affect the right or manner of voting in any vestry or meeting so holden.

Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend to any parish within the city of London.

Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend to any parish in the borough of Southwark.

This Act shall extend only to England and Wales.