Make a deputation at a council meeting

Deputations

Deputations may be made by any member of the public, who lives in or operates a business in Kirklees. The deputation must relate to issues on which the Council has powers or duties, or which affect the area of Kirklees.

Public meetings which hear deputations

Members of the public or an organisation, can make a deputation at a Council, Committee, Board or Panel meeting. Deputations are not heard at meetings of the Annual Council, Budget Council or Extra-ordinary Council.

Making a deputation

This should be done in two parts:

Part 1

• Contact the Governance Team to request to make a deputation.
• We recommend this is done at least a week before the meeting to enable time for the relevant information to be submitted by the deadlines.
• An officer will contact you and send a deputation form to complete and return, along with your deputation speech.

Part 2

• You must submit your completed deputation form at least 3 clear working days prior to the meeting.
• Include a copy of your deputation speech, which must not exceed 5 minutes.
• The content of your deputation should refer to issues on which the Council has powers or which may affect the Kirklees area, and be relevant to the terms of reference of the Committee, Panel or Body.

Constitutional requirements for deputations

In accordance with the Council's constitution, the Chief Executive will determine whether or not your deputation meets the requirements of Council Procedure Rules. Your deputation must not:

• Make reference to confidential information
• Relate to ongoing complaints
• Relate to items already listed on a public agenda or listed for consideration by a committee
• Contain information concerning the merit of applications or other matters for determination relating to planning, licensing and other administrative or regulatory matters
• Be defamatory, slanderous or offensive
• Contain information of a personal nature or which is defamatory, offensive, frivolous, repetitive or vexatious
• Promote a company's or individual's business interests

The Council will not normally hear deputations on matters that have been the subject of a deputation in the previous six months.

After you have submitted your deputation

The Chair, in consultation with the Chief Executive, has discretion to decide whether or not to hear the deputation.

If your deputation is rejected, you will be advised of the reason it has not been listed for that meeting.

When a deputation is heard at a meeting

A maximum of four deputations can be received at any one meeting and will be heard in the order in which permission was granted. Up to five people can present the deputation, which can be up to five minutes long.

When a deputation is made the relevant Member will respond and you may then leave the meeting. There shall be no discussion on the subject matter of the deputation or the response that has been received. The Chair may direct that the subject matter of a deputation be referred to an appropriate Service Director for investigation and report, to Cabinet, or to an appropriate Committee.

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