Depuations - a request to speak on an Agenda item at a Council meeting

(1)  Subject to (2) below, persons wishing to send a deputation - which may also include the presentation of a petition except in the case of the Licensing and Planning Boards - to any Panel, Board, Full Council or Cabinet meeting, shall give at least one clear day notice in writing or electronic mail to the Head of Law and Corporate Governance - care of Democratic Services - explaining the subject of the deputation, including, where appropriate, details of any petition. No deputation shall be received except with the permission of the appropriate body.

No deputation shall comprise more than three persons, all of whom may address the appropriate meeting and the deputation shall not exceed five minutes in duration.

(2) Persons wishing to send a deputation to the Planning Board in respect of a planning application that has been included on the Schedule of Planning Applications for Member consideration must submit their request to the Head of Law and Corporate Governance - care of Democratic Services - not later than 10.00 a.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting.

(3) Subject to (1) and (2) above the Head of Law and Corporate Governance shall deal with requests for deputations strictly in accordance with the following procedure:-

(a)  Where the issue is the subject of a recommendation or notice of motion to the next full Meeting of the Council

The request shall be placed on the agenda for that Council Meeting and the Council shall be asked whether it is willing to receive the deputation.

When a deputation has been received by the Council, there shall be no discussion on the points raised and the matter shall stand deferred until the relevant recommendation or notice or motion is presented to the Council.

(b)  Where the issue is on the Agenda for the Cabinet, a Statutory Board or Scrutiny and Review Panel.

The request shall be placed on the agenda and the meeting shall be asked whether it is willing to receive the deputation.

When a deputation has been received the matter shall stand deferred until the appropriate business is reached, when any Member of the Cabinet, Statutory Board or Scrutiny and Review Panel may move a motion.

The terms of the motion must be relevant to the deputation and within the duties of the Cabinet, Statutory Board or Scrutiny and Review Panel.

(c)   Where the issue is the subject of a resolution of the Council, the Cabinet or one of the Statutory Boards or Scrutiny and Review Panel within the previous six months and is not covered by (a) or (b) above.

Deputations shall not be entertained when any of those bodies has resolved upon the issue within the previous six months.

(d) Where the issue is not before the Council, the Cabinet or one of its Statutory Boards or Scrutiny and Review Panels and has not been resolved upon in the previous six months.

The request shall be placed on the appropriate agenda and the meeting shall be asked whether it is willing to receive the deputation. When a deputation has been received the matter shall stand deferred to enable the appropriate Officers to prepare a report on the matters raised within the deputation.

(e) Where the issue is before the Statutory Planning (Visiting) Board.  The Statutory Planning (Visiting) Board shall not receive deputations.

(f) Where an Officer is going to make a decision on a planning application in accordance with the Council’s ‘Scheme of Delegation to Officers’

Deputations shall not be received in respect of such planning applications.

(4) When a petition has been presented as part of a deputation it shall be dealt with in

accordance with Council Proceedure Rule 23(9) - Please see below.

Petitions

(1) At a meeting of the Council, Cabinet, or a Scrutiny and Review Panel local residents and Councillors may present a petition, signed by persons other than Members of the Council.

(2) The Head of Law and Corporate Governance shall include the following item on the agenda for meetings of the Council, Cabinet and Scrutiny and Review Panels:

'Presentation of petitions'

(3) The subject of the petition must relate to a function of the Council or to something that affects the area, or part of the area of the town, or affects the inhabitants, or some of the inhabitants, of the town.

(4) Persons wishing to present a petition shall give notice in writing or by electronic mail to the Head of Law and Corporate Governance (and include their name and address and details of the wording of the petition) by no later than one working day before the meeting at which they wish to present it.

(5) A petition may be presented by not more than two persons who will have up to five minutes in which to read out, or summarise, the objectives of the petition and indicate the number and description of the signatories.

(6) The Head of Law and Corporate Governance in consultation with the appropriate Chair, shall determine that the petition is in order and may be received.

(7) Petitions shall be presented in the order in which the Head of Law and Corporate Governance receives notice of them.

(8) Persons presenting a petition at a meeting in accordance with this Procedure Rule will not at the same meeting be permitted to also make a separate deputation on the issue to which the petition relates.

(9) When a petition has been presented there will be no debate but after receiving the petition the meeting will resolve:

(a) “That the petition be noted”: or

(b) If the contents of the petition relates to a matter on the agenda for the meeting:

'That the contents of the petition be considered when the appropriate item is debated'; or

(c) If the contents of the petition relates to a matter that is not on the agenda for the meeting:
 
'That consideration of the matter be deferred to the next meeting to enable the officers to prepare a report on the issues raised within the petition'; or

(d) 'That the petition be referred (as appropriate) to:

• Leader of the Council; or the
• Relevant Cabinet Member, or
• Chair of the relevant meeting

for further consideration and a response'

All deputation and petition requests should be sent in writing to:-

+by post: Democratic Services, Town Hall, Bournemouth BH2 6DY, 

7by fax: (01202) 454741

8by e-form: Deputations and Petitions Form