Speaking rights - Fenland

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 Fenland District Council. The guidance is extracted from the District Council website.

Public speaking rights at committees

The Council has decided, apart from at Planning Committee and Standards Committee, not to adopt a general public speaking right at Council meetings.

Petitions

9.1 Petitions may be presented to the Chairman of the Council by members (or a resident living within the district) at meetings of the Council.

9.2 Every petition shall be couched in proper language and be relevant to some question over which the Council has authority or which affects the district.

9.3 A member presenting a petition shall read out the wording thereof or a summary not to exceed 3 minutes except with the consent of the Chairman of the Council, without comment and shall then move that it be referred for consideration to the Cabinet, a committee or a panel of the Council. The motion, if seconded, shall be put without discussion.

9.4 For the purpose of this Procedure Rule, a petition shall contain not less than 25 signatures.

9.5 A resident wishing to present a petition shall give notice in writing thereof with the wording of the petition to the Chief Executive not later than 4.00 p.m. on the last working day preceding the day of the meeting. A maximum of 2 residents shall present the petition and one of them shall read out the wording thereof or a summary not to exceed 3 minutes, except with the consent of the Chairman of the Council, without comment and request the Council to receive the same. The Chairman of the Council, of his/her own volition, or any member may move that the petition be referred to the Cabinet, a committee or a panel and the motion, if seconded, shall be put without discussion.

9.6 There shall be no debate upon the presentation and reference elsewhere of a petition.

9.7 The Cabinet, a committee or a panel may permit one of the presenters of the petition or the member who has moved the motion to address it on the subject of the petition not to exceed 3 minutes except with the consent of the Chairman, and will submit a report to the Council upon the action taken on the petition not later than the next but one ordinary meeting of the Council after that at which the petition is presented.

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