Public Participation at Parish Council Meetings
A quick guide to ‘Public Participation’ at meetings
What is a Parish Council Meeting?
A Parish Council meeting serves as a business gathering for the Council, allowing Councillors to deliberate on matters and reach decisions. These meetings are open to the public, granting them the opportunity to observe the Council’s proceedings; however, they are not classified as public meetings.
Is it possible for me to raise questions, ideas, or concerns during a Parish Council meeting?
To promote community engagement, Warboys Parish Council allocates a specific time during its monthly meetings for the public to address the Council, known as ‘Open Forum’. This segment usually takes place at the start of the meeting.
Are there any guidelines for “Public Participation”?
There are some guidelines the Council ask the public to observe during ‘Public Participation’. These guidelines help the Council to continue to run an efficient and balanced meeting.
The ‘Public Participation’ segment is held at the beginning of the meeting and will last for 10 minutes. Members of the public can present, respond, and provide evidence concerning agenda items. Each individual from the public is restricted to a 3-minute speaking time.
Questions at the meeting should not need an immediate response or start a debate. Only one person can speak at a time; the Chairman directs the order if multiple people want to speak. Comments during the meeting should be directed to the Chairman.
Apart from the ‘Public Participation’ item on the agenda, can I participate in the remainder of the meeting?
Aside from the ‘Public Participation’ section of the agenda, members of the public are welcome to stay and observe the meeting. However, regulations prohibit public participation in the Council’s discussions or comments on other agenda items. We kindly ask that everyone respects this rule at all times.
Disorderly Conduct at Meetings
The Councillors and the Clerk of Warboys Parish Council form a dedicated and welcoming team that values the input of Warboys Village residents.
The Council kindly asks members of the public to refrain from interrupting the proceedings during meetings. If a disruption occurs, regulations regarding disorderly conduct will be enforced as follows:
- It is prohibited for anyone to hinder the business proceedings during a meeting or act in an offensive or inappropriate manner. In such cases, the Chairman will ask the individuals involved to adjust their behaviour.
- If an individual or individuals ignore the Chairman’s request during the meeting to moderate or enhance their behaviour, any council member or the Chairman may suggest that the individual no longer speak or be removed from the meeting. This proposal, once seconded, will be voted upon without further discussion.
- If a resolution made in (2) is ignored, the Chairman of the meeting may take further reasonable steps to restore order or to progress the meeting. This may include temporarily suspending or closing the meeting.
We look forward to meeting you in the near future.
Contact Information
Email – clerk@warboysparishcouncil.co.uk
Facebook – @WarboysParishCouncil
Telephone – 07985 771834 / 07985 771676