Public Open Forum - The Coin's Still In The Air

Every Parish Council I have checked provides a Public Open Forum - an opportunity for members of the public to address the Council on any subject, usually before the meeting starts. I contacted the Parish Clerk on 8 December enquiring why this facility was not available in Over. I have now received her reply, from which I quote:

‘Having once again contacted CPALC [Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Association of Local Councils] they have now furnished us with the information pertaining to this matter.Public participation constitutes part of the formal Parish Council meeting and the recommendation from CPALC is as follows:
“Public Participation - to allow up to ten minutes for any members of the public and Councillors declaring the existence and nature of a prejudicial interest to address the meeting in relation to the business to be transacted at that meeting.”
Essentially this means that a member of the public, or in fact a Councillor, has the opportunity to address the whole Council on any matter which is listed on the agenda of that meeting. ………………Please notify the Clerk as soon as possible of any matters you wish the Council to consider addressing.’

The following response will be delivered tomorrow:

‘Thank you for your letter of 17 December. Your response, which referred to ‘Public Participation’, has avoided the point of my request altogether. I asked about a ‘Public Open Forum’ when residents can address the Parish Council on matters of interest or concern, without prior notification.

I did not ask about ‘Public Participation’ in items on the Agenda at the Chairperson’s discretion or time for Councillors to declare the existence and nature of personal or prejudicial interests.

As it has taken at least 7 months for you to provide an answer to a question I did not ask, I suspect Over Parish Council is trying to avoid the courtesy of an Open Forum that all its near neighbours have granted.

The following information, taken from the Internet today, suggests a short telephone call to your Parish Clerk colleagues will put you on the right track without further prevarication or delay.

SWAVESEY PARISH COUNCIL
Notes from Public Open Forum etc.

WILLINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL
There is a slot in the meetings for members of the public to address the Council on any matters which concern them.

BAR HILL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 19 November 2009
Present:
Apologies: No Apologies
Open Forum

Yours sincerely’

Watch this space for further information.
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Public Open Forum - Yes, No, Maybe?

With one exception, every Parish Council I have checked provides a Public Open Forum, which is an opportunity for members of the public to address the Council on any subject, for up to five minutes, usually before the meeting starts. That exception is Over. I have today delivered the following letter to the Parish Council Clerk:

'Dear Ms Poulter
It is more than six months since I approached you asking to address the Parish Council during Public Open Forum. You said you were unaware of this procedure and would ask advice from CPALC [Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Association of Local Councils]. I gave you written information provided by other Parish Councils in various areas.

At my request this matter was included on the Parish Council meeting agenda on 17 June. As confirmed in the Minutes, this matter was held over ‘until next meeting’ as you had still not received any information from CPALC regarding their apparent new guidelines.

Has this information now been received? Will you be providing an opportunity for members of the public to address your meetings during Public Open Forum? This facility is provided by every Parish Council I have contacted or checked on the Internet, including Swavesey, Willingham and Longstanton, who are all presumably working to the same CPALC guidelines as Over.

Otherwise have you contacted CPALC to find out why you have still not received information expected from them six months ago?
Yours sincerely'

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