Asking a question at council meetings

Live in North West Leicestershire and feel strongly about something that concerns a service or an issue we may be able to help with?

You can ask a question at a Council meeting, Cabinet meeting, Local Plan Committe meeting, or either of the two Scrutiny Committees.

How do I submit a question?

The question must be submitted in writing or email to the Head of Legal and Commercial Services, through the Member Services Team by 12 noon, 3 clear working days before the day of the meeting*.

Find out more about upcoming Cabinet and Council meetings.

Each question must include your name and address - and must name the cabinet member you would like to put the question to. You can find a list of Cabinet members and their areas of responsibility in the Related Documents section at the bottom of this page.

Each person or organisation may only submit one question for a council meeting. Questions must be a matter we have a responsibility for or affects the district.

 Questions must not:

• Be defamatory, frivolous or offensive
• Be substantially similar to a question put at a meeting in the last six months
• Require an answer which would disclose confidential or exempt information
• Relate to a planning application**

What happens at the meeting?

Questions are taken at the beginning of the meeting, in the order they are received. The time allowed for putting and answering all questions is a maximum of 30 minutes.

The Chairman will invite you to put the question you have submitted to the councillor named on the notice letter. You must be at the meeting to ask the question - otherwise it will not be dealt with.

After a response is given, the you may ask one brief supplementary question. The supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or reply.

No discussion will take place on any question, although any member may move that the matter be considered further at another meeting. This will then be voted on.

Any question which cannot be dealt with during public question time will be dealt with by a written answer.

After the meeting

You will be sent a copy of the answer to your question shortly after the meeting, and if the matter is to be debated at a future meeting you will be advised of the date and of your rights to attend.

*A 'working' day excludes Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. The 3 'clear' days does not include the day the question is received or the date of the meeting.So for example, if a meeting is taking place on a Tuesday, the question would need to be submitted by 12 noon on the Wednesday before to allow Thursday, Friday and Monday as clear days

**If you have a question relating to a planning application, it can be submitted to Planning Committee.