At ordinary meetings of the Combined Authority, questions may be asked by members of the public to the -
- Mayor
- Combined Authority Members
- Committee Chairs
The total time set aside for such questions and answers will be limited to 30 minutes with no extension of time. Questions not dealt with in this time will be dealt with by written responses.
No person may submit more than one question at any one meeting and no more than two questions may be asked on behalf of any one organisation. Questions must be submitted in writing at least 7 working days before the meeting and include the name and address of the questioner and the name of the Member to whom the questioner would like the question put. Questions so received will be referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration and inclusion at a meeting.
The Monitoring Officer may reject a question if it -
- is not about a matter for which the Combined Authority has a responsibility, or which specifically affects the Combined Authority
- is defamatory, vexatious, frivolous, or offensive
- is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Combined Authority in the past six months
- requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information
- refers to legal proceedings taken or anticipated by or against the Combined Authority
- relates to a day-to-day Combined Authority function or the provision of a Combined Authority service and has not been asked first of the relevant service area
- is not related to policy or budget issues
- is a statement rather than a question
- names or identifies individual service users, members of staff or members/staff of partner agencies
- makes or relates to allegations against, or comprise comments about, the conduct of individual Members or officers
- relates to an individual or the questioner's own particular circumstances
- would more appropriately be responded to under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Data Protection Act 1998
- is from, or on behalf of, a political party, or bears the name, insignia, or other device of a political party
All approved questions will be listed in the summons for the meeting of the Combined Authority in the order that they were received (except the Mayor may decide to group similar questions together). Those persons who submitted questions and who are present at that meeting of the Combined Authority will be invited to read aloud the questions put.
Questioners may by written notice nominate a substitute to ask a question in their place. One supplementary question is allowed. If a member of the public or their nominated substitute who has submitted notice of a question is unable to be present at the meeting, the question falls. However, the Combined Authority will nevertheless provide a written response to the questions put.
Submit a question
Ensure you have read all of the above instructions before submitting your question.
You can submit your question by email using the below button -