Council

The full council, involving all 60 Councillors, meets approximately six times a year.  There are decisions that only Full Council can make and these include setting budgets and spending programmes, setting council tax levels and approving major policies and priorities.

The Council also appoints the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Leader of the Council, Committee Chairmen and the Chief Executive.  The Cabinet and Committees report to and are accountable to Council.

Members of the Council and the public may ask questions at ordinary meetings of the Council by giving appropriate notice (members of the public can submit up to two questions).  A questioner who has put a question in person may also put one supplementary question without notice to the Member who has replied to his or her original question.

  A question may only be asked if notice has been given by delivering it in writing, by facsimile transmission or by electronic mail to the Chief Executive not later than 12 noon,  five working days before the day of the Council meeting (not including the day of the meeting itself). Each question must give the name and address of the questioner and must name or clearly identify the Member to whom it is to be put.

Members and residents can present petitions.  Every petition must be polite and must be relevant to the Council or a matter which affects Peterborough. 

The presenter of a petition will have up to one minute to outline the aims of the petition. The Mayor will refer the matter to another appropriate body of the Council without discussion. 

Instructions on Submitting Questions and Petitions at Meetings of Full Council