Ask a question at a council meeting

The Chief Executive will determine whether or not your question meets the requirements of Council Procedure Rules.

Constitutional requirements for public questions

In accordance with the Constitution, your question must not:

• Make reference to confidential information
• Relate to ongoing complaints
• Concern the merit of applications or other matters for determination relating to planning, licensing or other administrative or regulatory matters
• Be defamatory, slanderous or offensive
• Contain information of a person nature or be defamatory, offensive, frivolous, repetitive or vexatious
• Relate to particular individuals. (It would be more appropriate to direct these questions to your ward councillor as a private matter)

The Chair may decline to answer a proposed question if it is not within the terms of reference (area of responsibility), or is not relevant to, the functions of the Cabinet, Committee or Panel. You will be advised prior to the meeting taking place whether your question has been accepted.

Meetings where questions can be asked

A member of the public can ask a question at Council, Committee, Boards and Panel meetings. Questions cannot be asked at Annual Council, Budget Council or Extra Ordinary Council.

There are no public questions during the period from the announcement of a General Election or Council elections to polling day.

How to ask a question

All public questions must be submitted in writing to a member of the Governance Team at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting. Please note that when you ask your question in the meeting, you must ask the same question that you submitted in writing.

You can ask a maximum of two questions. For each question asked, one supplementary question is permitted if the person asking the question is in attendance at the meeting. A supplementary question is an additional question that relates to the original question and the answer provided. All supplementary questions must meet the same requirements as the original question.

Types of question you can ask

Questions should be direct and concise and refer to the area of Kirklees. They should not include narratives or statements, expressions of personal or political views and should be relevant to the terms of reference of the Committee, Panel or Body.

Answers to public questions

Once your question has been asked, the relevant councillor will respond. The questions will be considered in the same order in which they were received in writing by the Governance Team. A response will be provided by the relevant councillor. The period allowed for the asking and answering of public questions at each meeting is 15 minutes. If your question cannot be dealt with during the meeting, it will be responded to in writing.

At meetings of Council and Cabinet, questions are answered by the Leader of the Council, or by the Member of Cabinet with responsibility for the area relating to the question. At Committee or Panel meetings, the Chair will respond to questions on any issue over which that body has powers or duties.

Consent for recording

Please be aware that there are fixed cameras and microphones in the Council Chamber, which is where most public meetings take place. If you ask a question or make a deputation, you will be giving your consent to be recorded.

Kirklees Council meetings are webcast live and archives of the meetings are also available.

Contact the Governance Team