Issue - meetings

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.  It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision, however, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes was allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matters relevant to the work of the Committee. 

Councillor David Brickhill addressed the Committee, speaking to a paper produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government concerning the current standards regime; a regime he considered to be ineffective.  He then made reference to local arrangements, commenting on the length of time and cost involved in bringing a complaint against him to fruition.  Item 6 on the agenda suggested a new procedure for dealing with complaints but, in his opinion, this was a like-for-like replacement which did not bring about the improvements sought.      

Having made his address, Councillor Brickhill withdrew from the meeting.