Public participation in committee meetings

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at ordinary meetings of the council, meetings of the executive and of committees.

Ahead of the meeting you may submit one question or statement – only one question or statement can made on behalf of one organisation. You must give notice and provide the text of your question or statement to Democratic Services no later than midday, three working days before the meeting. You can find contact details on the agenda front sheet for the meeting, available to download on our council minutes, agendas and reports website.

You will be asked to confirm your attendance at the meeting to present your question or statement. If you are unable to be present, it is at the Chair’s discretion whether to accept. If it is accepted the question or statement may be read out on your behalf or a written reply may be provided. 

The Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) may reject a question or statement if it:

• is not submitted by a person who can demonstrate a connection to North Yorkshire through living, working or studying in the county
• is not about a matter for which the local authority has a responsibility or which affects the county
• does not relate to an item for decision on the council agenda, in relation to full council meetings
• is defamatory, frivolous or offensive
• is essentially a complaint about and/or appeal against a committee decision
• is directed to full council and relates to a planning matter (unless the matter is specifically on the agenda for that full council meeting)
• is not within the purview of that particular committee
• is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the council in the past six months
• is submitted by an individual, organisation or group who has submitted a question or statement to full council or the Executive in the previous six months; [in respect of a purported question/statement for a full council meeting]
• is submitted by a publicly declared candidate for election during the pre-election period
• requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.

At the meeting:

• you will be given no more than three minutes to ask your question or read your statement
• you may put one supplementary question without notice in response to the reply you receive - the question must arise directly out of your original question or the reply and is permitted solely for the purpose of clarifying the information provided in response to your original question
• committee members may ask questions for clarification and discuss the issue raised, subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes
• if it is not possible to provide a response at the meeting, you will be provided with a written response within two weeks

Planning committee meetings

The council operates a scheme for public speaking at planning committee meetings. Normally the following people can speak in relation to any specific application on the agenda:

• speaker representing the applicant
• speaker representing the objectors
• parish council representative 
• local division councillor

Further information on public speaking at planning committee meetings may be found in the Constitution.