Submit a public question

Members of the public are welcome to ask questions of the Council at Council Meetings.

In order for a question to be heard at the meeting the following must be observed:

Questions with notice

Questions must be received in writing by 12.00pm the Friday prior to the relevant Council Meeting. Questions received by this time will be provided with a considered response prepared by the relevant Council officer and read by the CEO at the Council Meeting. 

Questions with notice can be lodged via:

Questions without notice

Questions without notice must be lodged in person no later than 6.15pm (9.45am for the daytime meetings) at the Council Meeting.  Hard copies of the public question form are available at all Council Meetings.

The question will be read by the CEO at the meeting and taken on notice, with a written response forwarded to the person asking the question within 7 days of the Council Meeting and published on the Shire's website under the Council Meeting Minutes, Agendas and Attachments page.

Procedural guidelines

A new form must be completed for each question, with questions limited to 50 words or less and no more than two questions will be received from any one person at a meeting.

The Mayor, Chair or CEO may at their discretion, refuse to read a question if the question:

  • Relates to a matter which is beyond Council’s powers
  • Is repetitive or has already been answered
  • Relates to a matter for which the meeting would normally be closed [Section 66 (5) (a) LGA]
  • Is prejudicial to the Council or any other person if answered
  • Relates to the personal views or actions of an individual Councillor or Officer
  • Relates to a matter that is the subject of negotiation, litigation or commercial interest/advantage
  • Is defamatory, indecent, abusive, irrelevant, trivial or objectionable in language or nature
  • Is considered trivial or vexatious or it is more appropriate to direct to officers of the Shire during normal business hours

Public questions at each Council Meeting will be limited to 15 questions or 30 minutes whichever is greater. Any questions not responded to at the relevant Council Meeting will be responded to by officers in the usual course of business.

Questions received relating to the same topic may at the discretion of the Chair or CEO be grouped together and a general answer provided.

Questions which contain material that relates to specific people or properties will be summarised at the discretion of Council.

This segment does not substitute for appeal and review systems, formal business procedures, formal Council decisions and other legal processes required for the proper transaction of business by the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

Public Question Form

Click here to view form.

Privacy Statement
The personal information requested on this form is being collected by Council for the purpose of identifying persons wanting to ask a question at a Council Meeting. The personal information will be used solely by Council for that primary purpose or directly related purposes. Council may disclose this information to the general public during the course of the meeting and in the minutes of the meeting. If this information is not collected the applicant cannot ask a question of Council. The applicant understands that the personal information provided is for the purpose of asking a question at the Council Meeting and that they may apply to Council for access to and/or amendment of the information. Requests for access and or correction should be made to Council’s Privacy Officer.

Back to top