Public Participation at Council Meetings

Council’s Code of Meeting Practice provides for public participation at Council Meetings.

Members of the public may make an application to address Council at a Council Meeting, on items that are listed for consideration at that meeting.

Council will allow a maximum of five (5) Public Forums at each Council Meeting. Each Public Forum speaker will have 3 minutes to address Council. And the Chief Executive Officer or nominated Council officer may provide a response.

Council will strictly adhere to these limits.

Public Forums are to be addressed to the Lord Mayor, relate to matters listed on the current Council business paper, and must not refer to or target political parties or individuals. Public Forum submissions that have been raised previously within the last 12 months will not be accepted unless there is new information to present.

Please refer to the following guideline for submission of Public Forums:

• Complete the form below including a full transcript of what you are going to say, with your contact details before 4pm on the Thursday prior to the meeting
• Council will accept only one ‘for’ and one ‘against’ on any item of business
• If several speakers are registered to speak on the same topic, speakers may be approached by staff to submit a combined submission.

Public Forums submissions will be confirmed as soon as possible prior to the Council meeting following consideration being given to the urgency of each of the submissions by the Lord Mayor (or his/her delegate) in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer.

Speakers usually present their Public Forum submission to the Council Meeting in person. The Council Meeting commences at 6:30pm. Public Forum submissions are heard at Item 9 on the Agenda. If the Council Meeting is held remotely (due to the coronavirus crisis), submissions will be read to the meeting by the Lord Mayor.