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Public Participation at Council Meetings

Deputations

The Shire of Northam’s Standing Orders Local Law 2018 allows members of the public to address Council at its meetings on issues listed within the agenda, provided they apply, before the meeting, to the CEO for approval or with the approval of the Presiding Member, at the meeting:

 The CEO may either:

  1. Approve the request and invite the deputation to attend a meeting of the Council; or
  2. Refer the request to the Council to decide by simple majority whether or not to receive the deputation.

The President may:

  1. Allow or refuse the application by a member of the public to make a deputation.

 The CEO shall provide a list of members of the public who have applied to address Council, together with the relevant agenda item number to the President who shall determine the order in which addresses take place.

Deputations will be limited to ten (10) minutes.

To make an address please complete the Intention to Address Council Submission Form and submit to the Executive Assistant - CEO prior to the meeting.

The public is admitted to the Council Chamber’s on the basis that no expression of dissent or approval, conversation or interruption to the proceedings of the Council shall take place. In the event of any such interruption, the President may use discretion and without a vote of the Council, require those interrupting to withdraw. The person or persons concerned shall immediately withdraw from the Council Chambers.

Any person, not being a member of Council, who interrupts the orderly conduct of the Council who does not withdraw immediately upon being called by the President to withdraw from the Council Chamber, may, by order of the President, be removed from the Council Chamber.

Intention to Address Council Submission Form

Presentations

A “presentation” means the acceptance of a gift or an award by the Council on behalf of the Local Government or the community. A presentation may be made to the Council at a meeting only with the prior approval of the CEO.

Please submit a completed Intention to Address Council Submission Form prior to the meeting.

Intention to Address Council Submission Form

Public Question Time

In accordance with Section 5.24 of the Local Government Act 1995, and the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996 a minimum question time of fifteen (15) minutes will be allocated to allow members of the public to ask questions in regard to an item on the agenda or on matters related to the good government of persons in the district.

Where possible the Officer shall endeavour to answer the question to the best of his or her knowledge and ability, however, if the information is unavailable or the answer requires research or investigation, the Officer may ask that:

  1. The question be placed on notice for the next meeting of Council; and
  2. The answer to the question be given to the member who asked it within 14 days.

Every question and answer:

  1. Is to be brief and concise; and
  2. Is not to be accompanied by argument, expression of opinion or statement of facts, except to the extent necessary to explain the question or answer.

Two (2) minutes will be allocated per question. A maximum of two (2) questions may be asked.

At the appropriate time, the Presiding Member will ask the Chief Executive Officer to, or nominated Executive Manager to stand and respond to the question. In answering any question, an Officer may qualify his or her answer and may at a later time in the meeting or at a subsequent meeting alter, correct, add to or otherwise amend the original answer.

All questions must are encouraged to be provided in full and submitted on a Public Question Time Submission Form prior to the commencement of the meeting to the Executive Assistant – Chief Executive Officer.  Prior to asking a question the speaker must state his/her name and address. The opening statement made before questions are not precluded but should be as brief as the question to which it relates. The Presiding Member may request a member of the public to phrase their statement in the form of a question.

Public Question Time Submission Form

Petitions

Petitions inform the Council, in a public way, of the views of a section of the community and serve as one means of placing community concerns before Council.
Electors of the Shire of Northam may petition the Council to take some form of action over a particular issue. For example, petitions may ask the Council to change an existing policy, local law or recent decision, or for the Council to take action for a certain purpose or for the benefit of particular persons. The subject of a petition however must be a matter on which the Council has the power to act. For instance a petition cannot request the Council to improve hospital services, as this is a State Government responsibility.
 
Care must be taken in the wording of petitions as the Shire requires certain information and content to be included to be a valid petition. Please view the example petition form linked below.

Please note that the form linked below is not the form for a petition for:

  1. a proposal to change the method of filling the office of Mayor;
  2. a submission/proposal about changes to the district, wards, name or representation;
  3. a request to hold a poll on a proposed amalgamation; or
  4. a request to hold a special meeting of electors.

The form of a petition for these matters is prescribed in the relevant local government regulations.

Petition Form

Petition Form (Subsequent Pages)

More Information

For more information in relation to addressing Council or participating at a Council meeting, please contact the Executive Assistant - CEO, Ms Alysha McCall on (08) 9622 6100 or at [email protected].