Public Speaking Policy

The Council has adopted a Public Speaking Session in order to give Members of the Public opportunity to address the Council at the start of the monthly meeting.  This is subject to the following:

  1. Persons wishing to speak must register their intention with the Clerk at least five working days before the meeting and must be on the Electoral Register for the Vale of Grwyney.  (In exceptional circumstances the Chairman may allow presentations/questions from persons residing outside the Vale of Grwyney Electoral Register area at his/her discretion).
     
  2. A written statement of comments/questions must be provided to the Clerk no later than 5pm on the Friday prior to the monthly meeting.  This will be placed on the file as a matter of public record.
     
  3. The presentation shall be formally addressed to the Chairman.
     
  4. A group must nominate a spokesperson to speak on its behalf and inform the Clerk no later than 5pm on the Friday prior to the monthly meeting. 
     
  5. Only one person may speak at a time.
     
  6. All remarks and discussion must be made through and with the permission of the Chairman.
     
  7. Presentations must relate to local issues affecting the Vale of Grwyney Community.
     
  8. The Chairman may reject a presentation/question if it:
    • is not about a matter that Vale of Grwyney is responsible for or doesn’t affect the community
    • is defamatory, frivolous or offensive
    • is substantially the same question which has been put at a meeting of the Council in the past 6 months
    • concerns confidential or exempt information

      • If a presentation/question is rejected a reason will be provided.

  9. Councillors with a prejudicial interest statement may also address the meeting at this time.
     
  10. Every effort will be made to ensure that the person wishing to speak will be given the opportunity to do so.
     
  11. Remarks should not be repetitive or irrelevant, or use unbecoming language.
     
  12. Presentations shall not exceed three minutes, and are subject to the Chairman’s discretion to extending or limiting the time that someone may speak.
     
  13. The Chairman will intervene to prevent aggressive, repeated or vexatious presentations.
     
  14. The Council will listen to the presentation and may consider it appropriate to investigate and report its findings at a later date (not later than the next monthly meeting).
     

The public is not allowed to speak during the rest of the meeting.

Late requests to speak will be considered at the Chairman’s discretion.