Speaking rights - County Council

From Camlink

We set out on this page the arrangements under which members of the public can speak at, and present petitions to, meetings of Cambridgeshire County Council. This guidance is extracted from the County Council website.

Public Speaking at Scrutiny Committees

If there is an issue that one of the Scrutiny committees is looking into that you feel particularly strongly about you have the opportunity to make your opinions known to the committee in person. If you decide that you would like to speak at a meeting there are certain rules in place to ensure that as many people can be heard as fairly as possible:

• At the start of the meeting the Chair of the meeting will ask if any members of the public want to speak about a particular agenda item. You must then make it clear which agenda item you’d like to contribute to.

• When it comes to the item you would like to discuss you will have the opportunity to speak for no more than 3 minutes. You will be allowed to ask the committee 1 question and 1 supplementary question. The Chair of the meeting will let you know when you can speak.

• You will be asked to give your name and provide details of any information that maybe be relevant to the item being discussed, e.g. the name of a group you maybe representing.

• Your comments must be relevant, and you must maintain respect for the members of the committee and the meeting.

• The Chair may intervene if they feel your comments are not relevant to the meeting, or inappropriate.

• If a large number of people wish to speak it may not be possible for everyone to have the opportunity to speak because of the need to complete meetings within the allotted time. The Chair will have discretion over who can and cannot speak under these circumstances. When an issue is likely to be of interest to a particular group of people, or to a particular area of Cambridgeshire, we will try to contact people or groups concerned to make sure their voices are heard by the committee. The agendas and reports for the each meetings are available on the Council’s website 7 working days before the meeting itself. If you think one of the issues may be particularly relevant to and you would like to know more please do not hesitate to contact the Scrutiny Team on 01223 699140 or 01223 699141.

Petitions

1. The Council welcomes comments from the public. As part of this process, a petitions procedure has been introduced to provide an opportunity for residents of the County to submit petitions on issues about which they feel concerned. In certain circumstances petitioners will be able to voice their concerns at Council meetings.

2. This document explains the main features of the procedure and, hopefully, answers many of the questions which you may have about the process. It is divided into the following sections:

- Making your views known to the Council
- Content of petitions
- Presenting the petition
- Speaking to Councillors about the petition
- Feedback on the Council’s decision
- Further information and advice

3. The full Council is responsible for determining the overall policies and for setting the budget each year. The executive Cabinet of up to ten Councillors, led by the Leader of Council, is responsible for most day-to-day decisions and plays a key part in implementing Council policies and in recommending new policies. Each member of Cabinet has responsibility for particular aspects of the Council’s services. Cabinet decisions and recommendations are subject to scrutiny by the Council’s scrutiny committees.

4. Area Committees have been created in each district with membership drawn jointly from County Councillors and City/District Councillors. They exercise powers delegated to them mainly on environment and transport functions.

5. MAKING YOUR VIEWS KNOWN TO THE COUNCIL

You can make your views known in a number of ways.

You can write to the Council, addressing your letter to your local County Councillor who can raise the matter on your behalf. Secondly you can write to the Leader of Council or to the Cabinet member responsible for the service in question. Thirdly if you are not sure which Councillor to write to you can send your letter to the Chairman of the Council who will ensure that it receives appropriate attention.

Alternatively, if the issue is an operational matter you could write to the Director responsible for that service or to the Chief Executive, if you do not know which Director to write to.

You can also speak to your local Councillor or officers of the Council, either by telephone or in person. Please bear in mind that it would be helpful to make an appointment if you want to speak to someone in person.

Finally, the submission of a petition is seen by many as lending weight to a particular viewpoint and demonstrating that the view is shared by others.

Petitions may be co-ordinated by individuals or by local organisations. They should not be co-ordinated and submitted by political groups as the democratic process already provides elected members with other opportunities to make their views known.

However you choose to express your views, the Council will always take these into account when reaching decisions. The Council often has to take account of a range of factors when reaching a decision, which may include legal and financial constraints and competing priorities for resources.

6. CONTENT OF PETITIONS

6.1 What sort of headings should the petition include?

People need to know what they are signing. The petition should state clearly what it is about and include statements about what is wrong and what you want to happen. It should also be capable of being read in a few moments to enable people signing the petition to read it first. The petition should state to whom it is directed, (eg Cambridgeshire County Council).

6.2 What information should be included about the people who sign the petition?

Ideally the petition should include the name (in block capitals), address and signature of each person who signs it. This will help the Council to assess the extent to which the views represent a particular locality. This could be relevant if the issue relates to a specific part of the County.

6.3 Are there any issues which the Council will not consider?

Yes. The petition must relate to functions for which the Council has powers or duties or, exceptionally, if it relates to an issue of particular concern to the County. The Council will not accept petitions which are abusive or libellous or are otherwise considered to be an abuse of the procedure.

6.4 What about petitions on planning matters?

Planning applications are considered by the Council's Development Control Committee. Details of how supporters and objectors can speak to the Committee about applications can be found here.

7. PRESENTING THE PETITION

7.1 Who should I send the petition to?

You should send your petition to the Head of Democratic Services at Shire Hall. Alternatively you can send it to your local County Councillor. Details of all County Councillors and advice on the functions of each Council department are available from the sources listed in section 9 below.

7.2 When should the petition be submitted?

Find out, if possible, the date when any decision is to be taken on the issue. The Department concerned will usually be able to give guidance on this. Obviously, the petition will need to be received in advance of any decision if it is to have any chance of influencing the outcome.

7.3 Can I present the petition to Councillors in person?

Yes. Petitions may be presented in person at meetings of the County Council, the Cabinet, a Scrutiny Committee or at area committee meetings.

7.4 Will the petition be discussed?

That depends. If there is an item on the agenda which relates to the subject of the petition, the meeting will take into account the views expressed in the petition when reaching a decision on the issue. If there is no item on the agenda, the petition cannot normally be discussed at the meeting. However the petition will be considered informally by the relevant Director and Members following the meeting and you will be informed of the outcome. This could involve a report being made to a future meeting.

8. SPEAKING TO COUNCILLORS ABOUT THE PETITION

8.1 Can I speak to the Cabinet, a Scrutiny Committee or an area committee about the petition?

Yes, provided the following conditions are met by the petition:

• it must relate to the powers and duties of that body

• it must be signed by at least 50 residents of the County who have an interest in the subject of the petition - the addresses of the signatories must be included for this

• it must have been received by no later than 9.00am two working days before the meeting

• it must be accepted by the Leader of the Cabinet or the Chairman of the Committee for presentation at the meeting. This is likely to be agreed unless there are exceptional circumstances.

8.2 What about speaking to the petition at the full County Council meeting?

You may speak to a petition presented at the Council meeting provided that the above conditions are met and there is a relevant item on the Council agenda or the Chairman of the Council decides that it is sufficiently urgent to allow representations to be made at the meeting.

8.3 Can I present the same petition to different meetings?

No. A petition may only be presented once and only one opportunity will be given to speak to it. The Council's Democratic Services staff can advise on which meeting would be appropriate.

8.4 Who can speak about the petition?

Almost anyone may represent the petitioners. As organiser of the petition you may speak to the petition or you may ask someone else to this do this. County Councillors do not speak to petitions under this procedure as they have other opportunities to make their views known.

8.5 When will I be called to speak on the petition?

If there is an item on the agenda which relates to the petition, you will usually be asked to make your presentation at the beginning of that item. If there is no item on the agenda, representations on petitions will usually be heard at the start of the meeting.

8.6 How much time will I be given at the meeting to speak about the petition?

Three minutes. The person chairing the meeting may extend the time allowed but only in exceptional circumstances.

8.7 Can I say what I like?

Almost, although because time is limited you should concentrate on getting the main issues across and avoid straying off the subject of the petition. You must also ensure that what you say is neither abusive or libellous.

8.8 Can I take part in the debate on the petition?

No. Once you have spoken to the petition, Councillors may wish to ask you questions about the petition. Thereafter, only Councillors can take part in any debate or discussion.

9. FEEDBACK ON THE COUNCIL'S DECISION ON PETITIONS

9.1 Will the petitioners be told of the outcome?

Yes, a letter will be sent following the meeting. This will either set out the decision of the meeting on the petition, or if the petition was not discussed, it will explain the outcome of the informal Councillor and officer discussions and any further action proposed.

9.2 Will all the people who signed the petition be informed?

No. It would be too costly to send individual letters. One letter will be sent to the organiser of the petition or, if this is not known, to the first signatory on the petition.

10. FURTHER INFORMATION AND ADVICE

10.1 How can I find out more information about the Council's services?

Guidance on the functions of both District and County Councils is contained in an A-Z of Council Services available on the Council’s website (www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk). Copies of this booklet and further advice can be obtained from your local library, town hall or Cambridgeshire Information Point. You can also telephone Cambridgeshire Direct on 0845 045 5200 or by email info@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Details of the Chairman of Council, the Leader of Council and Cabinet members are also available on the website.

10.2 Who should I contact for advice on petitions?

Further advice on the operation of the petitions procedure can be obtained from the Council's Democratic Services Section at Shire Hall. Telephone (01223) 699180.

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