Most Council meetings are open to the public. Anyone who lives, works or studies in Brent can ask a question at Full Council meetings, Committee meetings or Neighbourhood Committee Meetings. Everyone’s contribution is welcomed and you’re not expected to be a professional speaker to take part.
Useful to know
If you wish to speak during a meeting, you should:
- make sure that your question/presentation relates to an agenda item due to be discussed at the meeting at which you wish to speak (except Full Council)
- keep your speech brief and to the point
- not use offensive or discriminatory language
- note that your presentation may be interrupted by the Chair, Mayor or the Chief Executive if the information is considered repetitive or irrelevant
Full Council meetings are recorded live on the council’s website. By speaking at Council meetings, members of the public agree to being recorded and must ensure their speech is respectful and use appropriate language.
Full council
If you wish to speak or submit a question to Full Council you can do so by emailing us with your request or question at least 15 working days before the meeting. Only one question or deputation can be asked per person or organisation per meeting.
The only meetings in which questions cannot be submitted are at the Annual Meeting of the council in May or the meeting which agrees the Budget and Council Tax.
Each question is subject to review by Governance Services and approval by the Mayor and Chief Executive. Approved questions will be passed to relevant officers for a response and this will be published with the Full Council Summons on the Council’s Democracy pages.
The Chief Executive or her nominee shall have the power to edit or amend written questions to make them concise, without affecting the substance, following consultation with the questioner. The Mayor is also permitted to take questions which are felt to be the same or closely related together.
The Chief Executive, with the benefit of advice from the Director of Legal, HR, Audit & Investigations, may reject a question if it:
- is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the area
- is defamatory, frivolous or offensive
- is substantially the same as a question asked within the last six months
- requests the disclosure of information which is confidential or exempt
- names, or clearly identifies, a member of staff or any other individual
Speaking on behalf of a group
If you wish to speak on behalf of a group of people in order to raise awareness on a topic of interest or concern for residents, which is within the realm of the Council, you should submit a deputation to Full Council via email at least 5 working days before the meeting.
Up to three deputations are permitted per Full Council meeting and each one must be on a different subject. Requests will be subject to approval by the Mayor and Chief Executive. If your deputation is selected you will be given up to 5 minutes to present the deputation.
Cabinet, Scrutiny or other committee meetings
Members of the public can request to speak on their own or present a deputation at Cabinet, Scrutiny and other council committee meetings. The request to speak must relate to a topic on the agenda for the meeting they wish to address.
You must submit your request or question via email at least 24 hours before the meeting. If your request or deputation is selected you will be given up to 2 minutes to present.
Different rules apply to Planning and Alcohol, Entertainment & Licensing Committee. Please contact Governance Services directly.