Attend or ask a question

Attending meetings

Members of the public are welcome to attend Council meetings in the Council Chamber at 32 Civic Drive, Greensborough. Check the meeting schedule.

If the meeting is fully virtual, or you are not able to attend, you can watch the meeting online.

Ask a question

Council Meetings include public question time to enable members of the public to submit questions to Council. Council's Governance Rules outline the procedures and requirements for questions from the public. 

Criteria

The Chairperson and/or the Chief Executive Officer may, at their discretion, refuse to accept a question if it:

• is a statement or opinion
• relates to a matter outside the duties, functions or powers of Council
• is indecent, abusive or objectionable in language or obscene
• is repetitive or deals with a subject matter already answered at the same or an earlier meeting
• is, in the opinion of the Chairperson or Chief Executive Officer, asked to embarrass a Councillor or an officer
• relates to the personal views or actions of an individual Councillor or Officer
• is considered trivial or vexatious or it is more appropriate to direct to officers of the Shire during normal business hours
• relates to a matter that is the subject of negotiation, litigation or commercial interest/advantage
• relates to a matter that the Council has discussed in camera or proposes to discuss after closing the meeting to members of the public in accordance with section 66(2) of the Local Government Act 2020.

Question limits

Each person can submit a maximum of two questions with no subparts.

A subpart is considered, for example but not limited to, a question that:

• contains a), b), c) parts or similar
• is followed by "If not, why" or similar
• is submitted as a single question, but contains multiple questions regardless of format, and requiring more than a single response.

If a subpart is included, it will be considered as a question.

When more than two questions are received from any person, only the first two questions will be read at the meeting.

Questions should be as brief as is possible. A short introduction outlining the subject matter or background of the question can be included. This may be read aloud in full or paraphrased as deemed appropriate. Lengthy introductions or background information will not be read.

Deadline

Questions must be submitted by 11:59pm two days prior to the advertised date of the Council meeting. Questions received after the deadline may be deferred to the next scheduled Council meeting.

Check the meeting schedule.

How to submit a question

If you would like to ask a question at a Council meeting, complete the online form.

Ask a question at a Council meeting

You will receive a confirmation email. If you haven't received the confirmation email, check your junk email items. 

Dealing with the question

The procedure and sequence for dealing with a question is that the Chairperson:

1. shall name the questioner
2. shall read out the question
3. may answer the question or direct the question as they deem appropriate.