If you want to attend a public meeting, you can. All public meetings except those listed below are open to the public unless the meeting resolves to exclude the public.
Check the agenda to find out if the meeting is open to the public and where the meeting you wish to attend is being held. Most Council and committee meetings are held at the Council’s Richmond office, 189 Queen Street, Richmond - Council Chambers.
Turn right after you’ve entered the building and follow the signage to the Council Chambers. The public seating area is on the left as you enter the Chambers.
Many meetings (except extraordinary meetings) have a public forum where you can speak if you wish. This is an opportunity to bring up a matter of concern or comment on agenda items. It is not a time to ask councillors' questions.
Information on speaking at public meetings and how to register is below.
Council and committee meetings have a formal agenda of items for discussion. This agenda is made publicly available two working days prior to the meeting. Details for joining the meeting via Zoom are on the front page of the agenda. The agenda includes any supporting reports and information required to assist elected members in their decision-making.
Meetings are organised and run by the regulations set in statute. These include the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, and the Local Government Act 2002.
At the beginning of ordinary meetings, up to 30 minutes is set aside for public forum. How long you have to speak will depend on whether you're speaking as an individual or on behalf of a group.
Public forum presenters can speak in person or online as they prefer. Visit the Meetings Calendar for details and the Zoom link.
Anyone wishing to speak at a public forum is requested to give prior notice, as soon as possible. You can do this by completing this form here at least 48 hours before the meeting.
Members of the public may speak on any item within the delegations of that meeting apart from matters identified in “Is there anything I can’t speak about?” below.
If you have applied to speak at the wrong meeting, we will contact you and advise of the correct committee to speak to.
Public forum does not form part of the formal business of the meeting however a brief record will be kept of the matters raised. Any matters requiring further investigation may be referred to staff by the Chairperson.
If you intend to address the meeting in New Zealand Sign Language or in te reo Māori; notice must be given no less than two working days prior to the meeting being held.
The Chairperson has the discretion to decline to hear a speaker or to stop a presentation at any time where:
The Chairperson can refuse a request, and has the discretion to allow a late request, if it is an item of urgency or major public interest. Other stipulations also apply - please read the information below If you intend to apply for public forum.
Individuals speaking on behalf of themselves will have five minutes.
Individuals representing a group or organisation have ten minutes. No more than two speakers can speak on behalf of an organisation during a public forum.
The Chairperson will let you know how much time you have left.
With the permission of the Chairperson, committee members may ask questions in the public forum, but questions must be to obtain information or clarification of matters raised by the person speaking. Members can't engage in debate or make decisions about matters raised.
No. The meetings of the following committees do not include a public forum:
If you wish to provide a supporting presentation or documents for the matter you are addressing you can do so – remember there is a time limit though. Remember the same rules on what can be spoken about apply to presentations.
If making a PowerPoint presentation, it must be emailed to the committee advisor by close of business the day before. You will be notified as to who this is when you fill out the form – their contact details will also be on the first page of the agenda.
Before the meeting starts you can:
If you’re doing any of the above, please let us know as soon as possible.
Public forum is at the start of the meeting after some initial housekeeping and meeting procedures.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the time you are due to speak. You may sit in the public seating to the left of the doorway.
When it’s your time to speak the chair will call you to the table.
If you have provided a Powerpoint presentation, this will be displayed on the screens for you and shared with those on ZOOM. If you have not provided a presentation within timeframes you will not be able to display it at the meeting.
Your name and the item you spoke to will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The minutes also note which organisation you represented, if applicable. Anything distributed or tabled at the meeting will also become part of the public record.
The minutes of the meeting will be published on our website.
We ZOOM most Council and committee meetings, including public forum. Recordings of public meetings are available to view on the Tasman District Council YouTube page.
Where a petitioner wants to present a petition to a meeting, a limit of 5 minutes is placed on that person. Alternatively, a petitioner can ask a member to present a petition on their behalf. Petitions are normally taken during the 'public forum' part of a meeting.
The rules that apply to petitions are listed below as per Council's Standing Orders:
16.1 Form of petitions
Petitions may be presented to the local authority or any of its committees, local boards or community boards. Petitions must contain at least 20 signatures and consist of fewer than 150 words (not including signatories). They must be received by the chief executive at least 5 working days before the date of the meeting at which they will be presented.
Petitions must not be disrespectful, use offensive language or include malicious statements (see standing order 19.9 on qualified privilege). They may be written in English or te reo Māori. Petitioners planning to make a petition in te reo Māori or sign language should advise the relevant Chairperson at least two working days before the meeting to enable the petition to be translated and reprinted, if necessary.
16.2 Petition presented by petitioner
A petitioner who presents a petition to the local authority or any of its committees and subcommittees, local boards or community boards, may speak for 5 minutes (excluding questions) about the petition, unless the meeting resolves otherwise. The Chairperson must terminate the presentation of the petition if he or she believes the petitioner is being disrespectful, offensive or making malicious statements.
Where a petition is presented as part of public forum, the speaking time limits relating to public forums shall apply. The petition must be received by the chief executive at least 5 working days before the date of the meeting concerned.
16.3 Petition presented by member
Members may present petitions on behalf of petitioners. In doing so, members must confine themselves to presenting:
(a) the petition;
(b) the petitioners’ statement; and
(c) the number of signatures.
Some meetings may have a public excluded (confidential) session. Any members of the public, whether in there in person or on ZOOM, will be asked to leave the meeting.
For a meeting to move into “public excluded” the committee must agree that one or more of the reasons listed in the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 apply.
Ordinarily the items to be considered confidentially are listed in the publicly available agenda, along with the reasons why staff recommend they are kept confidential.
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