Question Time at Council Meetings

54. Questions of Council (taken from Council’s Governance Rules Adopted 23/01/2024)

Council Meetings are held to enable Council to make its decisions. Members of the public do not have a right to address Council, however provisions are made for Council to respond to questions from the community and may provide an opportunity for members of the public to address Council at the discretion of the Chairperson.

1. This section sets out the procedures to be followed to submit a question, the circumstances under which a question may be disallowed and the process for addressing and responding to the question at or after the Meeting.

    

2. For virtual Meetings there is currently no provision for members of public to join the Meeting electronically. Any permitted questions from the community will be provided to the Chief Executive Officer prior to the Meeting and read out on behalf of the community member.

    

3. Council will hold Question Time for up to 30 minutes duration at each Council Meeting to allow community questions of Council. Extension of time may be granted by resolution of Council.

    

4. This Rule does not apply during any period when Council has resolved to close the Meeting in respect of a matter under section 66 of the Act which relates to Confidential items where a Council Meeting was not open to the public.

    

5. Any questions must be submitted in writing to the Chief Executive Officer (or other person authorised for this purpose by the Chief Executive Officer) and received prior to midday on the business day prior to the commencement of the Meeting and contain the name and contact details of the person submitting the question.

    

6. If a person is unable to submit their question in writing, they may contact the Glenelg Shire prior to the commencement of the Meeting and Council staff will determine an accessible means for the person to submit their question.

    

7. Questions (maximum 100 words including any pre-amble) may be submitted by mail (noting Australia Post delivery times), email enquiry@glenelg.vic.gov.au or delivered in person to a Council customer service centre but are limited to three (3) questions per person per Meeting.

    

8. The Chief Executive Officer may reject the question if:

    

   • Does not relate to a matter of the type described in section 66 of the Act regarding items from Meetings not open to the public.
     
     
   • Does not relate to a matter in respect of which the Council has no power.
     
     

   • Is defamatory, indecent, abusive, or objectionable in language or substance.

   • Is repetitive of a question already answered whether at the same Meeting or at any of the three (3) most recent Council Meetings.

   • Is asked to embarrass a Councillor or member of Council staff.

   • Relates to the personal hardship of any resident or ratepayer.
     
     

   • Relates to any other matter which the Council considers would prejudice the Council or any person.

   • The questioner is not a resident, ratepayer, worker or student within the Glenelg Shire.

      

9. The Chief Executive Officer may request that the question be resubmitted with alternative or amended wording, to enable the question to be put to the Meeting so that it does not breach provisions of the Governance Rules.

    

10. If the Chief Executive Officer has determined that the question shall not be read to the Meeting:

     

    • The Meeting must be advised accordingly, including the name of the questioner and the reason why it was not read out.
      
      
    • The question or submission shall be available to Councillors upon request.

     

11. The Chairperson or delegate must read to the Meeting the name and locality of the person who has submitted a question. The Chief Executive Officer may withhold the locality of the questioner were requested for security purposes.

     

12. The Chairperson or delegate must read the question and the Chairperson may then direct that the question be answered by a nominated person.

     

13. No debate or discussion of a question or an answer is permitted other than for the purpose of clarification.

     

14. A Councillor or member of staff nominated to answer a question may:

     

    • Seek clarification of the question from the person who submitted the question.
      
      
    • Seek assistance of another person in answering the question.
      
      
    • Defer or take the question on notice so that the answer may be researched, and a written response provided within ten (10) working days following the Meeting.

     

15. A summary of a response provided to any question taken on notice will be provided in the next available Council Meeting agenda.

     

16. If a person who asked a question is not satisfied with the answer given, they may follow the question up with the relevant Council Officer by emailing enquiry@glenelg.vic.gov.au, or contact the Council on telephone 1300 456 635 or via post at P.O. Box 152 Portland.