Updated Question Time and Statements

COG has updated it's Question time and Statement forms and the guidelines

these can be found here

Question Time for the Public at Council Meetings

Council Policy 5.4.21 titled “Question Time and Public Statements at Council Meetings” has been developed to provide an orderly process for the receipt of questions and public statements at Council Meetings and to ensure members of the public are afforded equal and fair opportunity to participate in the good governance of the district.

In accordance with Item 6 of Ordinary Council Meeting Agendas titled “Question Time for the Public and the Receiving of Public Statements”, a period of fifteen (15) minutes is allocated for questions with a further period of fifteen (15) minutes provided for statements from members of the public. To ensure an equal and fair opportunity is provided to address Council, a period of three (3) minutes per speaker will be allowed.

The person's speaking right is to be exercised prior to any matter which requires a decision to be made at the meeting.

Questions and statements are to be –

1. Presented in writing on the relevant form to the Chief Executive Officer prior to commencement of the meeting; and
2. Clear and concise.

Question Time

Please click here to access the prescribed “Question Time” form (available in Word or PDF format).

With the consent of the Presiding Member, members of the public have the opportunity to ask questions on any relevant Council Business at Item 6.1 “Question Time” of the Agenda, provided that the person has completed the prescribed form in full and submitted it in person to the Chief Executive Officer prior to commencement of the meeting at 7.30pm or via fax to the City of Gosnells 9398 2922 prior to 4.00pm on the day of that meeting.

At Item 6.1 “Question Time” of the Agenda, the Presiding Member will announce the person’s name, at which time they are required to stand and present their question(s) to the meeting.

Supporting Policy 5.4.21 is the following guideline relating to Question Time titled “Guidelines – Question Time for the Public”:

“Question Time is not a public forum for debate and making of public statements. The time is limited to a question and answer period only and questions should be clear and concise to enable an appropriate response.

All questions are to be submitted in writing to the Chief Executive Officer, on the form determined by that officer, prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Persons wishing to ask questions will be called upon in the order in which they lodged their question form with the Chief Executive Officer or his/her delegate.

Questions are to be directed to the Presiding Member who has the right to accept, reject, respond, or nominate a relevant Officer to respond to that question.

To enable all members of the public a fair and equal opportunity to participate in Question Time each person shall be provided, in the first instance, with the opportunity to ask a maximum of two questions.

After all interested persons have posed their allotted number of questions, the Presiding Member will then, where time permits, allow members of the public to sequentially ask one further question. This process will continue until the allotted time has expired.

An extension of Question Time will only be granted where all members of the public, who have submitted their questions in the prescribed manner, have not been afforded the opportunity to ask the initial allotment of two questions.

Questions submitted at the meeting, that are not answered on the night, will be responded to in writing by the appropriate officer.”