Question Time
This page explains how members of the public and non-executive members can ask questions at meetings of the Executive, when executive or delegated decisions are taken by individual Executive members and at meetings of the Council.
Executive Meetings
At Executive meetings commonly known as the Cabinet, a period of up to 15 minutes will be allowed at each meeting for questions from members of the public. Questions will need to be on any matter relating to Executive functions and have been received by the Head of Paid Service seven working days prior to the meeting.A period of up to 15 minutes will be also be allowed at meetings for questions from non-executive members on any matter relating to Executive functions. These questions also have to be received by the Head of Paid Service seven working days prior to the meeting.In addition, a period of up to 15 minutes will be allowed for questions from members of the public and non-executive members on items to be considered on the published agenda of the meeting. These need to be received by the Head of Paid Service no later than 10.00am on the day of the meeting.Questions must be received in writing by the Head of Paid Service.
The Head of Paid Service may reject a question if it:
(a) is not about a matter for which the Executive is responsible:
(b) is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;
(c) is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Executive in the past six months; or
(d) requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.
The person who has submitted a question may at the discretion of the elected Mayor or the member presiding at the meeting also put one supplementary question to the executive member who has replied to the original question. A supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or reply. The elected Mayor or executive member presiding at the meeting may reject a supplementary question on the grounds set out above.Questions should be brief and not take more that two minutes to read out, comments/questions relating to personal circumstances such as personal applications for grants/licences etc are not allowed.
Executive and Delegated Decision making
Members of the public and non-executive members may ask questions of an individual executive member at the time that the decision is made, subject to the question being received by the Head of Paid Service by 12 noon on the day prior to the decision being taken.
The Head of Paid Service may reject a question if it:
(a) is not about the item to be considered by the Executive member:
(b) is defamatory, frivolous or offensive or
(c) requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.
The person who has submitted a question may at the discretion of the Executive member also submit one supplementary question. A supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or reply. The Executive member may reject a supplementary question on the grounds set out above.Questions should be brief and not take more that two minutes to read out, comments/questions relating to personal circumstances such as personal applications for grants/licences etc are not allowed.
Council Meetings
Members of the public may ask questions of the elected Mayor,executive members, a Chairman of any Committee or any member at ordinary meetings of the Council.Up to 30 minutes will be allocated to public questions at each ordinary meeting of the Council.A question may only be asked if notice has been given by delivering in writing or by electronic mail to the Head of Paid Service no later than midday seven working days before 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.At any one meeting a person may submit more than one question, but no more than two such questions may be asked on behalf of one organisation. A total of five minutes will be allocated for dealing with the supplementary question and the response.If a person submits more than one question, second and subsequent questions may be dealt with, after dealing with first question from any other person, so long as there remains sufficient time in the 30 minutes question period.
The Head of Paid Service may reject a question if it:
(i) is not about a matter for which the local authority has a responsibility or which affects the District:
(ii) is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;
(iii) is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Council in the past six months; or
(iv) requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.
A questioner who has submitted a question in person may at the discretion of the Chairman also put one supplementary question to the member who has replied to their original question. A supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or the reply. The Chairman may also reject a supplementary question on any of the grounds referred to above.