Council

Asking a question at Council   Members of the public may ask questions of members of the Cabinet and Chairs of the Council’s committees and other standing bodies at ordinary meetings of the Council.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ0VYiwggyg   Notice of questions A question may only be asked if notice has been given by delivering it in writing or by electronic mail to the Chief Executive no later than noon, 8 clear working days before the day of the meeting. A clear working day is any day Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) and not including the day of receipt and the day of the meeting. Each question must give the name and address of the questioner and must name the member of the Council to whom it is to be put.   Number of questions At any one meeting no person may submit more than 2 questions and no more than 2 such questions may be asked on behalf of one organisation. A maximum  of 4 questions in any local government year may be submitted by any person or on behalf of an organisation or business.   Scope of questions The Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair of the Council may reject a question if it:   • is not about a matter for which the local authority has a responsibility or which affects the district;   • is a defamatory, frivolous or offensive;   • is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Council in the past six months;   • requires the disclosure of the confidential or except information;   • relates to judicial/ quasi-judicial items, planning and licensing applications or appeals;   • names Officers or Members by name and/or alleges breaches of the Members’ Code of Conduct which are subject or may be subject to investigations; or   • relates to an ongoing complaint to the Council, either at Stage 1 or 2, or a complaint that is currently subject to investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman or a complaint which has been concluded either at Stage 1 or 2 or via the Local Government Ombudsman.   • Is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Council in the past six months; or   • requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information   Order of questions Questions will be asked in the order determined by the Chair of the Council acting in  conjunction with the Monitoring Officer/ and or Chief Executive. The Chair may group together similar questions. Not question or answer may exceed 5 minutes without the permission of the Chair and the totality of questions and answers may not extend beyond 15 minutes without the consent of the Chair of Council.   Asking the question at the meeting The Chair will invite the questioner to put the question to the member named in the notice. If a questioner who has submitted a written question is unable to be present, he/she may ask the Chair to put the question on his/her behalf.   The Chair may ask the question on the questioner’s behalf, indicate that a written reply will given or decide, in the absence of the questioner, that the question will not be dealt with.   Written answers Any question which cannot be dealt with during public question time, either because of lack of time or because of the non-attendance of the member to whom it was to be put, will be dealt with by a written answer. A copy of the written answer will be provided to all members.   Annual Budget Meeting   There is no provision at an Annual Budget Meeting for questions and motions.   As per the constitution the Council can receive any statements from members of the public who are residents of, or working  in, the district relating only to an item of business on the public part of the agenda of that meeting.