Important notice: This is an archived version of the Peak District National Park Authority's website. It was last updated on 2 August 2011. The current version can be found at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk. This old version of the website will remain available until all content and functionality has been transferred across to the new website, after which it will be switched off.
Looking After
How we work to look after the National Park, conservation, ranger services, biodiversity and policies.
- The work of the Authority
How we make decisions, the role of Members and staff. - Current consultations
We want your opinions on these consultations - Ranger service
What our rangers and volunteers do around the National Park. - Plans & policies
Corporate plans and policies
Public Participation at Meetings
SCHEME OF OPERATION
The aim of the scheme is to better ensure that the views of the public are known to the Authority and its Committees and Sub-Committees when making its decisions. At any meeting of the Authority its Committees and Sub Committees people are welcome to make representations, ask a question, make a statement and present deputations or petitions. The procedures are set out below for guidance but please note that the Chair of the meeting shall have discretion to vary the procedures (as indicated in the detailed paragraphs below) if necessary for the effective running of the meeting.
A. Representations made to Authority meetings, Committee and Sub-Committee meetings
Representations may be made by any person on matters relating to the published Reports on the Public part of the Agenda.
(i) A representation shall be confined to the subject matter of the relevant report on which a decision is being taken.
Notice
(ii) Notice must be given to the Director of Corporate Resources by 12.00 noon two working days before the meeting. Notice can be given in person at Aldern House, by telephone, in writing, by fax or e-mail.
(iii) The notice must give details of the meeting, identify the subject matter and include a contact name, address and telephone number.
(iv) A speaker, or their Agent, will be allowed up to 3 minutes to make the representation.
(v) Where there is more than one person wishing to make similar representations, they will be advised that the Chair has the discretion to intervene if they make statements which are repetitive of other statements. Therefore they may wish to endorse the points made by other speakers but they should avoid repeating them.
(vi) The views of consultees will be reported to the meeting as usual. Consultees will be allowed to make a representation in person to the meeting for up to 3 minutes. For the purposes of this paragraph, consultee is defined as the relevant Local Authority, District Councils, Parish Councils, Highway Authorities or other relevant Agencies.
(vii) The Chair of the meeting shall have discretion to allow a speaker to answer questions or clarify points raised by Members following the representation and during the debate.
(viii) The Chair of the meeting shall have discretion to allow a speaker to use visual aids e.g. photographs or plans, but not to distribute written material, to assist them in making their representation.
B. Questions, Statements, Deputations and Petitions
(i) Any question, statement, deputation or petition shall be confined to the subject matter of the relevant report on which a decision is being taken.
Notice
(ii) Notice must be provided to the Director of Corporate Resources by 12.00 noon two working days before the meeting. Notice can be given in person at Aldern House, by telephone, in writing, by fax or e-mail. The notice must give details of the meeting, identify the subject matter and include a contact name, address and telephone number.
Questions and Statements
(iii) A question to the Chair of the Authority, Committee or Sub-Committee, or a statement to a meeting shall be submitted in writing in accordance with para (ii) above and signed by the person wishing to ask the question or make the statement.
(iv) The Chair of a meeting shall have the right to exclude a question or statement on a topic or related matter, which has been the subject of a question or statement at an earlier meeting.
(v) Any matter contained in a question or statement that is deemed by the Director of Corporate Resources to be defamatory or to relate to a specific Officer or Member will not be included on the Agenda and the speaker will be informed accordingly.
(vi) The speaker or their Agent, shall be allowed up to 3 minutes to present the question or make the statement.
(vii) The Chair of the meeting shall respond on behalf of the Authority.
(viii) With the Chair's permission Members or Officers will be allowed to ask questions of the speaker about appropriate points raised.
(ix) If a speaker is unable to attend the meeting the question or statement and the answer shall be read out and the written answer will be provided to the speaker in the week following the meeting.
Deputations and petitions
(x) Deputations and petitions prepared on behalf of a group of three or more people may be received at any meeting following the notice required in para (ii) above.
(xi) The Chair of a meeting shall have the right to exclude deputations and petitions on a topic or related matter, which has been the subject of a deputation or a petition at an earlier meeting.
(xii) Any matter contained in a deputation or petition that is deemed by the Director of Corporate Resources to be defamatory or to relate to a specific Officer or Member will not be included on the Agenda and the parties will be will be informed accordingly.
(xiii) One speaker, or their Agent, may speak on behalf of the group for up to 3 minutes.
(xiv) With the Chair's permission Members or Officers will be allowed to ask questions of the speaker about appropriate points raised.
C. Planning Committee Site Visits
(i) The facilities for parties to make representations to Committee meetings under this Scheme do not apply to site visits carried out by Members of the Planning Committee.
(ii) Anyone invited to attend a site visit e.g. applicant, agent, statutory consultees is not permitted to speak about the application except to answer questions of fact from officers or Members.
Giving Notice
Notice under this scheme must be received by 12.00 noon two working days before the meeting. Notice can be given in the following ways:
(i) By attendance in person at the National Park Office, Aldern House, Baslow Road Bakewell, Derbyshire. (9:45 am to 5:00 pm Mondays to Fridays).
(ii) In writing addressed to the Director of Corporate Resources at Aldern House.
(iii) By FAX (01629 816311)
(iv) By telephone to the Democratic Services staff (01629 816362 or 01629 816382). A voice mail system is in operation where messages can be left outside office hours or if the telephone is engaged.
(v) By e-mail addressed to democratic.services@peakdistrict.gov.uk
Further help or clarification about the operation of the scheme can be obtained from the Democratic Services staff on 01629 816362 or 816382.
Last updated May 2011
Recording of Meetings
The Local Government Act 1972 does not require the Authority to permit the recording of meetings by sound, video, film, photograph or any other means. However, the Authority permits a handwritten record being taken at meetings and in addition, requests in advance for recording Authority meetings and committee meetings will be allowed if it is in the interests of helping the wider public observe and understand Authority decision-making.
