Public Participation

The public are welcome to attend any council meetings to listen to what is being discussed. 

There may be elements of the meetings in which the press and public are excluded and would be asked to leave the room.

 

Members of the public wishing to speak need to notify the Chief Officer in advance of the meeting in which they wish to speak at.

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Public Questions

1. Electors who wish to ask a question at a meeting shall give notice to the Proper Officer of the question it is intended to ask no later than 12noon of the working day before the meeting. The questions stated in the notice given to the Proper Officer shall be the question asked at the meeting. The notice given will clearly state as to which agenda item the question relates to.

2. The Chair will call upon those wishing to ask a question in turn, each questioner being allowed to speak for a maximum of three minutes.

3. Those wishing to speak shall state their name and confirm they reside at an address in the Parish of Workington.

4. Answers to questions may take the form of:

1. a direct oral response

2. when the desired information is contained in a publication, a reference to that publication or

3. when it is more convenient to do so, a written answer after the meeting

1. Every question or statement shall be put and answered without discussion

2. Questions shall not be permitted that relate to the individual affairs of either the questioner or any other named person, but should only relate to matters of policy or practice, i.e. matters of a general nature rather than individual concern.

3. The Chair shall not allow any questions that is in their opinion:

1. Defamatory, frivolous or offensive

2. Requires the disclosure of exempt or confidential information

3. Relates to complaints about individual Members or Officers.

 

Town Assembly

viii.       Electors wishing to speak at the annual Town Assembly are not required to give notice as to the question they wish to ask.

ix.       All other standing orders regarding public participation in meetings should be followed.

x.       The Chair may interject if the topic of the question is not within the powers or control of the Council.

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Public Representations (statements)

1. Electors may give notice to the Proper Officer that they wish to make representations in respect of an item of business on the agenda, Such notice shall be received by the Proper Officer no later than 12noon on the working day before the meeting stating the general nature of the representation they wish to make in respect of that agenda item.

2. The Chair shall report any valid notice to the meeting, which shall decide whether to permit such representation.

3. Those wishing to speak, should do so directly to The Chair and shall state their name and confirm they reside at an address in the Parish of Workington.

4. Representations shall not be permitted that relate to the individual affairs of either the questioner or any other named person but should only relate to matters of policy or practice, i.e. matters of a general nature rather than individual concern.

5. The Chair shall not allow any questions that is in their opinion:

   1. Defamatory, frivolous or offensive

   2. Requires the disclosure of exempt or confidential information

   3. Relates to complaints about individual members or Officers.

 

​Should members of the public wish to make an official complaint about individual members (Councillors or it's Officers), it should follow the Council's official complaints procedure. 

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