Speaking at Meetings
Meetings are open to the public with the exception of confidential matters.
Members of the public can address Council meetings on issues on the agenda for that meeting.
A public forum is held shortly after the commencement of every Council meeting so community members wishing to address the Council must be present at the Council Chambers and may speak for up to 3 minutes on any item included on the Agenda. Any items such as notes, photographs and any other documentation used during an address to Council will be required for Council’s records.
There is no other opportunity to address Council during the course of a Council meeting.
Open Public Forum
Council holds two open public forums per year, in March and September.
The public forum provides an opportunity for community members to address Councillors on any issues or topics of interest or concern, relevant to the Moree Plains Shire.
When submitting a statement, community members are requested to provide a complete statement and note if they intend on addressing Councillors in person.
Members of the community who intend on addressing Council in person at the public forum should review the following public forum guidelines:
1. Speakers must comply with Council’s Code of Meeting Practice (Public Forums) section 4, page 8 <https://www.mpsc.nsw.gov.au/index.php/hot-topics/docman/policies/167-code-of-meeting-practice/file>
2. If a speaker fails to observe a direction from the chairperson, the speaker will not be further heard.
3. Each speaker is allowed three (3) minutes to address the Council.
4. Speakers must not digress from the item on the agenda that they have applied to address the Council on.
5. A Councillor may direct a question to a speaker, through the chairperson, and the time limit for the answer to a question is three (3) minutes.
6. A speaker is under no obligation to answer a question put to them by a Councillor.
7. A speaker cannot ask questions of the Council, Councillors or Council staff.
8. Speakers must refrain from engaging in disorderly conduct, publicly alleging breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct or making other potentially defamatory statements.
9. Legal representatives acting on behalf of others are not permitted to speak unless they identify their status as a legal representative when applying to speak.
10. Written, visual or audio material presented in support of a speaker’s address to the Council will form part of the minutes of the meeting and a copy must be provided to Council.
Please note: The maximum time allocated to the public forum will be thirty (30) minutes however this may be extended by resolution of Council.
Community members addressing the public forum in person or through a written submission should be mindful that they are providing permission for Council to include their details in the Minutes of the Council Meeting and the Council Meeting will be recorded.
The conduct of the forum will be in accordance with Council’s usual requirements, including the Moree Plains Shire Council Code of Meeting Practice, the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) and NSW Local Government (General) Regulations (2005).
Links: Council’s Code of Meeting Practice https://www.mpsc.nsw.gov.au/index.php/hot-topics/docman/policies/167-code-of-meeting-practice/file
Council recommends community members seeking to address Councillors in person should pre-register prior to the meeting and provide detailed information regarding their query. Alternatively, community members are invited to provide a written submission for the Councillors’ consideration, which will be read out by the General Manager and addressed by Councillors at the public forum.