Rules for speaking at Planning and Development Committee
The rules for speaking at committee meetings are:
- To speak you must first provide your comments for objection or support and request to speak in writing.
- You will be put on the 'List of Speakers'. We will contact you one week before the meeting. You must confirm on the Thursday before the committee meeting that you still want to speak.
- Objectors, the applicant and/or supporters will be allowed to speak. If no objectors are attending, the applicant and/or supporters can speak only if the application is recommended for refusal.
- If several people want to speak for or against then one of the objectors and one of the supporters should be nominated to speak on behalf of all.
- Two objectors/supporters can speak if there are distinct and separate areas of objection/support.
- No more than four (not including Ward Councillors) can speak on any application (two objectors and two supporters). It is preferable to have one objector/supporter making all the points.
- You will have up to four minutes.
- Ward Councillors speaking for/against a proposal are allowed four minutes. This is separate to the objectors/ supporters time allowance.
- You are not allowed to question members of the committee or council officers or take part in the discussion on an application.
- You cannot hand around photos or extra information at the meeting.
- You should arrive 15 minutes before the meeting starts.
- Committee members can ask you questions You should respond to the direct question asked.
- The Chair of Committee has the discretion to vary these rules or to shorten speaking rights in individual cases if he or she considers it appropriate.
- Please remember it is up to you to follow the progress of the application you are interested in:
- Find out if the application you're interested in is going to Planning and Development Committee. Not all applications will be even if you have written in and requested to speak.
- Keep in touch with the planning case officer. They will confirm the meeting date if it's going to committee.
Find out if:
- anyone else has asked to speak
- a nominated speaker has been chosen
- no more than two speakers are objecting/supporting and that you are raising separate issues