Meetings

Public Participation At Standing Committee Meetings

• A period of up to 30 minutes shall be set aside for a public forum at the commencement of ordinary meetings of the local authority, committee and subcommittee meetings which are open to the public.  Each speaker during the public forum section of a meeting may speak for five minutes.
• Standing orders may be suspended on a vote of three-quarters of those present to extend the period of public participation or the period any speaker is allowed to speak.
• In respect of local authority, committee and subcommittee meetings, public forum is to be confimed to those items falling within the Terms of Reference of that meeting provided the matter is not subjudice.
   
  
Note:
The public forum procedure does not apply in respect of any hearing including the hearing of submissions where the local authority, committee or subcommittee sites in a quasi-judicial capacity.


• With the permission of the Chairman, members may ask questions of speakers during the period reserved for public forum.  If permitted by the Chairman, questions by members are to be confined to obtaining information or clarification on matters raised by the speaker.

Standing Orders

Council has adopted NZS 9202 2003 (with local amendments) as its Standing Orders for the conduct of meetings.  These include procedures for dealing with deputations and petitions as well as attendance at meetings and availability of information.