Community participation at council and committee meetings
Time is set aside during the council, standing committee and the library advisory committee meetings for public question time, which is announced by the presiding member. All members of the public wishing to ask a question will be given an opportunity to do so.
Register to speak at council, strategic and general services and library advisory committee meetings
If you would like to register to speak at a council or strategic and general services committee meeting, you are required to register your name and contact details, along with the item number on the public question registration form. This form is located on the desk near the entrance to the council chambers. You can register between 5.30pm and 5.50pm on the day of the meeting.
Questions must relate to an item on the agenda or the ordinary business or function of the City of Fremantle.
Register to speak at planning services committee
If you would like to register to speak in reference to an item at a planning services committee meeting, contact the planning services minute secretary on 08 9432 9743 or by emailing planning@fremantle.wa.gov.au before close of business the day of the meeting, or register outside the council chambers up to ten minutes before the meeting is due to commence. Please advise the minute secretary if you are speaking in favour of or against the officer’s recommendation. Prior to your item being discussed the presiding member will call your name and you should make your way to the podium.
If you wish to make a statement or ask a question not related to an item on the agenda, you do not need to register, just raise your hand when the presiding member calls for public question time. When invited to the podium, state your name for the record. Questions must relate to the ordinary business or function of the City of Fremantle.
Click here for more information on planning and the planning services committee meetings.
Public question time
When invited to speak, make your way to the podium and speak into the microphone. Address your question or statement through the presiding member. The presiding member will allow a maximum of three minutes. This time limit is set to prevent the meeting running overtime and allows fairness to other members of the public.
The presiding member will decide whether or not a question will be answered at the meeting. The presiding member will answer the question if possible, or refer questions to councillors and staff. If the question cannot be answered at the meeting it will be taken on notice. The answer will be tabled at the next meeting, and a written response provided.
If a number of people wish to speak on a particular issue, the presiding member may ask any particular interest groups present to determine representatives to present particular points of view. Please note this does not limit the right of all individuals to ask a question during public question time at the beginning of the meeting.
Once you have asked your question or made your statement, you will not be able to debate the issue with members of the committee and will only be able to speak further if a member of the committee wishes to clarify a point with you which he/she must do through the presiding member. We welcome you to listen to the proceedings; however members of the public cannot become involved in council discussion during the meeting.
Once your item has been dealt with, you may remain for the rest of the meeting or leave at any time.
Minutes of the meetings
Minutes of the meeting are kept. They record your name and a summary of questions and responses from public question time and the decisions and recommendations to council made by the council or committee. A record of the council or committee's general discussions on each item is not kept.
All council and committee meetings are recorded (audio and visual) and copies may be able to be purchased in accordance with the fees and charges schedule and City of Fremantle policy SG5 - Recordings of council and committee meetings.
Confidential items
Occasionally you and other members of the public may be requested by the presiding member to temporarily leave either the committee or council meeting for discussion of a confidential item.
A decision to close any part of a committee or council meeting must be by the committee's resolution and must be minuted along with the reason why. The resolution of the confidential item will be minuted, however discussion of the item will not.
Quorum
Council
The quorum at all council meetings is more than half the total number of members of council. If after the expiration of half an hour from the meeting time fixed, there is still not a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned and no business can be transacted.
Committee
The quorum for a committee is at least 50% of the number of offices of committee members. If a quorum is not present within 30 minutes of the commencement of a meeting, the presiding member shall adjourn the meeting and no business shall be transacted.
Delegated authority
If less than five members of a committee vote in favour of a recommendation, a decision cannot be made at the meeting. The committee recommendation must be referred to the next ordinary meeting of council for a decision in accordance with 1.1 or 1.2 of the City of Fremantle Delegated Authority Register.