Citizen questions session

• The question session lasts for 30 minutes and is an opportunity at the beginning of each ordinary meeting of full Council for those who live or have a business address (but not employees of businesses) in the City to ask questions about the Council. It is a key part of the City Council's commitment to openness and accessibility.
• A few simple rules have been introduced to help the citizen question session run smoothly and these are explained in the next section

How do I ask a question?

• Questions need to be submitted in writing to the Head of Democratic Services, LH Box 28, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG or via email to questionsforcouncil@nottinghamcity.gov.uk, or by completing the online form at the bottom of this page.  Meeting dates and deadlines for the submission of questions are also given at the bottom of the page. 
• Your question will be answered by the most relevant Portfolio Holder (that is the Councillor who has special responsibilities for the service or topic to which the question relates) or Committee Chair or Board Chair. The Constitutional Services team will co-ordinate this process and ensure that the relevant Councillor is informed of the question being posed to him or her.
• When submitting the question, you must give your name, address and e-mail address (please note that contact details will not be disclosed without your permission).  You must also give the address at which you live or your business address that is within the City boundary.

Who can ask a question?

• Anyone who lives or has a business address (but not employees of businesses) within the Nottingham City boundary can ask a question.

 What can I ask?

• Questions must be relevant to Council services, but not be about individual/personal issues. Your question should be limited to one subject, but may have more than one part. 
• Questions relating to specific planning or licensing applications cannot be accepted as there are other ways of raising these e.g. objecting to the application.
• Examples of previous questions accepted for a response at Full Council can be viewed online. Please click here to view the Questions to Council page. You may find it useful to look at these before submitting your question.
• The Constitutional Services Team (telephone 0115 876 4301) is happy to assist anyone that wants to ask a question, including providing help with the wording or writing of the question if it is needed.

Can I ask the question in person at the Council meeting?

• You cannot ask the question in person at the Council meeting, but your question will be circulated to all Councillors in advance and be distributed in the public gallery on the day of the meeting.
• You will be invited to come to the meeting and sit in the public gallery to hear the answer to your question.

Who will respond to my question?

• Your question will be answered by the most appropriate person depending on what your question is about. This will either by the Leader of the Council, the Deputy Leader, Portfolio Holder for the relevant service, the Committee Chair or Board Chair.

Who decides what questions are answered?

• The Lord Mayor or his Deputy will determine which questions are to be answered at the meeting. If more questions are received than can be answered in the 30 minutes allowed, written answers will be sent to all questions not dealt with at the meeting.
• No discussion will be allowed on any question or answer.
• The questions and answers will be published on the question section of the Council's website, please click here to view the Questions to Council page. The minutes of the meeting will also record the name of the person who asked the question, the questions asked, the name of the Councillor replying and the answer given. Minutes of the meeting are available within 10 working days of the meeting being held and can be viewed by clicking on the latest minutes page or at Loxley House. .

When does full Council meet?

Dates of the meetings and the deadlines for submission of questions for 2012/13 are displayed below

Submit a question online

Please click here to submit a question using the online form.

Need Help?

If you have any questions about the question session arrangements or would like some help, please contact Constitutional Services on 0115 876 4301