Ask a question at a meeting

Who can ask a question?

A resident or someone who works in the Wokingham Borough area can ask one question to Council, Executive and some committee meetings. 

At Extraordinary Meetings of the Executive, Council or other Committees, only questions relating to the items included in the agenda can be asked.

What can be asked?

Questions relating to matters which we have responsibility for or which affect the Borough.

Questions could be rejected if:

• They're defamatory, frivolous or offensive
• They're substantially the same as a question answered in the past 6 months 
• They require disclosure of confidential or exempt information - e.g. personal or financial information about individuals, employees or businesses 
• They relate to a planning or licensing application before it has been determined

Questions will be answered at the start of the meeting after the minutes have been approved. Questions are answered in the order they were received and without discussion. 30 minutes are put aside for answering questions. Any questions unanswered by the time limit will receive a written answer.

Once your question has been asked and answered you can ask a supplementary question but this must relate to the original question or the answer you were given. Your supplementary question must be no longer than one minute in total i.e. approximately 130 words.

Details of all the questions, supplementary questions and their answers are recorded in the minutes of the relevant meeting. You will also receive a copy of the answers provided to your questions.  Please note, your name will appear in the minutes of the meeting.

Note that some meetings may be filmed. Other people may use phones and other equipment to record, film, tweet or blog meetings. We cannot control this.

How to ask a question

Let us know which Councillor you want to put your question to. This is normally the Executive Member for the relevant service area or the Chairman of the Committee.

General questions have to be submitted by 10am on the 7th working day before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting.)

Questions relating to agenda items have to be submitted by 10am two working days before the meeting.

If you are unable to attend the committee meeting yourself you can nominate someone to ask the question for you. Questions not asked at the meeting will receive a written response.

All questions must be submitted in writing. You can do this in different ways, including filling in our form below

Ask a question

Alternatively, email democratic.services@wokingham.gov.uk or write to us at:

Democratic Services,

Shute End,

Wokingham,

RG40 1BN