Guidance for members of the public who wish to speak at planning meetings
Winterbourne Parish Council Planning Committee meets to exercise all the functions of the Council in relation to:
(1) town and country planning, in particular to act for the Council as consultee in respect of all planning and similar applications referred to it by the local planning authority, South Gloucestershire Council, and to deal with all matters relating to formulation of and objection to local and strategic planning policies
(2) highways, footpaths, bridleways, rights of way and similar matters
(3) transportation and traffic management
(4) economic development and tourism
(5) liquor licensing
(6) taxis and hackney carriages
(7) all matters reasonably relevant or incidental to (1) - (6) above
Planning Committee meetings are usually held on the first and third ‘working’ Mondays of each calendar month. Further meetings may be held if required.
Members of the public are welcome to give their views on a proposal either as an individual or as part of a group.
If you wish to speak on a proposal you are advised to arrive for the start of the meeting as the Chair may move items forward to the published agenda order.
Comments are limited to the application being considered for that item.
If you are reading from a written statement, it would be helpful to provide The Clerk with a copy at least one working day before the Planning Committee meeting.
There is a time limit of 5 minutes for each group of speakers supporting the proposal and 5 minutes for those objecting to the application. The order of speakers is at the Chair’s discretion.
Speakers may get together to decide to make a joint statement, either appointing one representative to deliver a speech of up to 5 minutes or for different speakers to cover different points to a maximum of 5 minutes between them all.
Once the public speaking has finished there is no further opportunity to address the committee or other members of the public.
Once the speakers have made their submissions, committee members will discuss the proposal and agree the comments that will be submitted to South Gloucestershire Council. There will be no further public speaking rights during the debate between Councillors.
Members of the public are reminded that the Parish Council is a consultee to the local planning authority, South Gloucestershire Council.
South Gloucestershire Council is the decision-making authority for planning applications, not the Parish Council.
Guidance for members of the public who wish to speak at Council meetings
Winterbourne Parish Council’s adopted Standing Orders can be found in the Your Council / Policy & Procedures section of this website.
Members of the public who attend a meeting of the Parish Council are asked to note the following extract:
ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS TO MEETINGS
59. The public shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council and its committees and sub- committees, which may, however, temporarily exclude the public by means of the following resolution:
“That in view of the [special] [confidential] nature of the business about to be transacted, it Is advisable in the public interest that the public be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw”.
(Notes: The special reasons should be stated. If a person’s advice or assistance is needed they may be invited (by name) to remain after the exclusion resolution is passed).
60. Members of the public wishing to make a statement or ask a question are asked to confirm if they live in the Parish Council area and to provide their name before making their statement or asking their question.
61. The period of time designated for public participation at a Council meeting in accordance with Standing Order 59 shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the chairman of the meeting.
62. Subject to Standing Order 59, a member of the public shall not speak for more than three minutes. There will be no opportunity later in the meeting for the public to speak.
63. In accordance with Standing Order 59, a question shall not require a response at the meeting nor start a debate on the question. The Chairman of the meeting may direct that a written or oral response be given.
64. A members of the public should raise their hand when requesting to speak. Only one person is permitted to speak at a time. If more than one person wants to speak, the Chairman of the meeting shall direct the order of speaking.
65. A member of the public should stand when requesting to speak and when speaking (except when a person has a disability or is likely to suffer discomfort). The Chairman of the meeting may at any time permit a person to be seated when speaking.
66. Members of the public who speaks at a meeting shall direct their comments to the Chairman of the meeting.
67. The Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any proceedings at which they are entitled to be present.
68. If a Member of the public interrupts the proceedings at any meeting, the Chairman may, after warning, order that the person be removed from the Council Chamber.
69. Subject to standing order 59 a person who attends a meeting is permitted to report on the meeting whilst the meeting is open to the public subject to the knowledge of the Chair. To “report” means to film, photograph, make an audio recording of meeting proceedings, use any other means for enabling persons not present to see or hear the meeting as it takes place or later.
70. A person present at a meeting may not provide an oral report or oral commentary about a meeting as it takes place without permission.
Members of the public who attend a meeting of the Parish Council are asked to note the following extract:
ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS TO MEETINGS
59. The public shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council and its committees and sub- committees, which may, however, temporarily exclude the public by means of the following resolution:
“That in view of the [special] [confidential] nature of the business about to be transacted, it Is advisable in the public interest that the public be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw”.
(Notes: The special reasons should be stated. If a person’s advice or assistance is needed they may be invited (by name) to remain after the exclusion resolution is passed).
60. Members of the public wishing to make a statement or ask a question are asked to confirm if they live in the Parish Council area and to provide their name before making their statement or asking their question.
61. The period of time designated for public participation at a Council meeting in accordance with Standing Order 59 shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the chairman of the meeting.
62. Subject to Standing Order 59, a member of the public shall not speak for more than three minutes. There will be no opportunity later in the meeting for the public to speak.
63. In accordance with Standing Order 59, a question shall not require a response at the meeting nor start a debate on the question. The Chairman of the meeting may direct that a written or oral response be given.
64. A members of the public should raise their hand when requesting to speak. Only one person is permitted to speak at a time. If more than one person wants to speak, the Chairman of the meeting shall direct the order of speaking.
65. A member of the public should stand when requesting to speak and when speaking (except when a person has a disability or is likely to suffer discomfort). The Chairman of the meeting may at any time permit a person to be seated when speaking.
66. Members of the public who speaks at a meeting shall direct their comments to the Chairman of the meeting.
67. The Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any proceedings at which they are entitled to be present.
68. If a Member of the public interrupts the proceedings at any meeting, the Chairman may, after warning, order that the person be removed from the Council Chamber.
69. Subject to standing order 59 a person who attends a meeting is permitted to report on the meeting whilst the meeting is open to the public subject to the knowledge of the Chair. To “report” means to film, photograph, make an audio recording of meeting proceedings, use any other means for enabling persons not present to see or hear the meeting as it takes place or later.
70. A person present at a meeting may not provide an oral report or oral commentary about a meeting as it takes place without permission.
