Public Participation at end of agenda

Question

Is this allowed? It seems very odd that it has been changed.

Answer 1

Are you saying that it has been moved from the start of the meeting to the end?  If so, that is an odd thing to do, as it will encourage members of the public to wander in during the meeting in order to have their say, which could be quite disruptive. However, there are no rules.

Comments

Thank you. I am pretty sure it is a tactic because this particular committee never seems to make it to the agendas end.

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Encouraging members of the public to attend to voice their opinions, then telling them that there isn't time is unlikely to end well, particularly when you've given them time to go to the pub before turning up for the meeting!

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Indeed, but this may be the point because at this committee it is generally only Councillors who are talking during Public Participation (that aren't on the committee and Questions From Councillors has been removed from the FC meeting). When Clerks state the D&C, is this a book? What does it stand for?

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I thought it was a gynaecological procedure!

Answer 2

I know of several different councils who place the participation at the beginning, middle and end of the proceedings. It is, as with most things for the PC to decide. Each has it's merits and demerits. Some think that having it at the end is pointless as it cannot relate to anything already decided by council during the meeting and amounts ostensibly to future business whereas, at the beginning ( providing the agenda is accurate ) allows opinions supposedly to be taken into account in decision making during the meeting.

Comments

I publish detailed agendas and place the public forum at the start of the meeting, as this allows members of the public to express a view on matters under discussion before the meeting starts. I see no merit whatsoever in any other approach.

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If anyone other than a Councillor is attending a meeting whether it’s a member of the public or someone invited to participate about an agenda item it’s a matter of courtesy to have those items as early as possible during the meeting