Attending a Meeting

We welcome public attendance at meetings. Your input can help shape decision-making, support good governance, and provide local knowledge. Participation and feedback from the community helps form an essential part of our democratic processes. All formal meetings are open to the public unless the meeting resolves to exclude the public.

Requesting to speak to public forum

Public forum is the period at the start of Council and Community Board meetings where the public have 5 minutes to share their thoughts on an issue that falls within that board's delegations. Members of the public may speak as an individual or represent the views of a group. If you wish to speak at public forum, please get in contact with the Governance team at least one clear working day before the meeting.

Making a verbal submission to a public consultation or hearing

If you have made a submission to a public consultation or hearing, you can request to come along to present your submission at a formal meeting.

At the meeting

Meetings start promptly, so please arrive early and make yourself known to the Governance team. There is a public seating area provided. When it is your turn to speak, the Chair will introduce you and the topic you which to speak to. You will be asked to come forward to speak. The Chair is the facilitator of the meeting, and you should only address the Chair. The Chair and Elected Members will listen to you and with the permission of the Chair you may be asked questions if there are any points requiring further information or clarification. The questions will be for clarification, no debate will take place. Once you have spoken you may take a seat back in the public seating area and listen to the rest of the public proceedings or leave the meeting. Elected Members will consider all the information they receive and use this to help inform their decisions.

Restrictions on speaking and attendance

There are some rules around public input at meetings to maintain the integrity of its decision-making process. As a general rule, members of the public are only permitted to speak during in public forum. You cannot speak to an item that is subject to legal proceedings, or to a process providing for the hearing of submissions. Some parts of the meeting may be resolved to exclude the public. The reasons for excluding the public are listed in the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and will be noted in the agenda item.

Supporting information

You are welcome to share an electronic presentation or provide supporting information as part of your presentation. Please liaise with the Governance team at least one working day before the meeting. You may submit your presentation via this form submission form.

Participating remotely (via Microsoft Teams)

If you want to attend and speak at meetings remotely, please contact the Governance team at least one clear working day before the meeting.

Where our meetings are held

Council meetings, Vincent Community Board meetings, Hearings Panel and District Licencing Committee meetings usually are held in the Alexandra Office, at 1 Dunorling Street, in Ngā Hau e Whā/ Council chambers.

Community Board meetings for Cromwell, Teviot Valley and Māniatoto are usually held in the respective service centres.

More information

For further information on meeting protocol and procedures please refer to the standing orders on the Governance Documents pages.

Please let us know if you have any special needs or accessibility needs. If you wish to present your submission in Māori or sign language, please contact us at least two working days before the meeting. We may need to arrange for an interpreter so the more time you can give us the better. The Governance team are responsible for meeting administration, organisation and management.

If you have any feedback or require additional information, please contact: governance@codc.govt.nz