Public Question Time 

There will be a 30 minute public question time at every ordinary meeting of the Council.  Any member of the public may attend a meeting of the Council and ask questions of the Leader of the Council and/or Chairman of a Policy Committee.  Questions must be about matters for which the Council has responsibility or which affect the Borough. 

The system for doing this is as follows:-

What happens at the Meeting?

• When Question Time begins, the Mayor will invite the person asking the question to put his/her question to the Councillor.  He/she will step forward to the front of the Council Chamber and ask his/her question.  The question must not take longer than two minutes to ask.
• The Leader or Committee chairman will then answer the question (Vice Chair or other nominated substitute may respond in their place).  The reply will not last longer than five minutes.
• A supplemental question (arising from the question just asked) can then be asked which should take no longer than one minute.  The reply will not exceed two minutes in length.
• If the person who submitted the question is not present at the meeting, the Mayor may ask the question on his/her behalf, or ask for a written reply to be sent to the questioner.

The Procedure

Notice of Questions

A question may only be put if it is received in writing or by electronic mail (including fax) and delivered to the appropriate Officer no later than midday six working days before the day of the meeting.

The person asking the question must give his/her name and address and name the councillor to whom the question is put.

Number of Questions

At any one meeting, no person shall submit more that one question.

Scope of Questions

The question may be rejected if:

• it is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the Borough;
• it is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;
• it is substantially the same as a question which has been asked at a meeting of the Council within the past six months , or;
• it requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.

Record of Questions

Questions will be entered into a book open to public inspection and the Councillor who is to answer the question will be sent a copy of the question.

Rejected questions will be included in the book, with the reasons for rejection.

Next Steps

Write out your question and the name of the Councillor to whom it is addressed.  Include your name, address and a daytime telephone number and send to the Senior Democracy Officer, Melton Borough Council, Phoenix House, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0UL or email : committees@melton.gov.uk.

Please remember to allow time for your question to arrive at the offices if you are sending it by post.

Additonal Information

Dates of Council Meetings 2011/12

Please note, all above meetings start at 6.30 p.m.

Committee Chairs

Policy Finance & Administration Committee                   - Councillor M.C.R. Graham MBE

Community and Social Affairs Committee                      - Councillor D.R. Wright 

Rural, Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee - Councillor J.T. Orson

Leader of the Council                                                    - Councillor M.C.R. Graham MBE

Petitions                     

For further information on how to submit a petition to the Council, please click on the link below:-

Petitions Scheme

For further information call 01664 502502

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