RESIDENTS and business owners may soon be given the opportunity to speak about ‘important matters’ in Cirencester before a town council meeting.
Councillors on Tuesday debated and agreed on an updated standing order of Cirencester Town Council which includes a new clause where a public forum may be arranged in advance of a town council meeting at which an important matter is due to be discussed.
The 6.30pm meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the public to discuss important matters with the town council prior to a formal council meeting, usually at 7pm on a Tuesday.
But there were mixed feelings about the idea.
Some councillors expressed concern that members of the public could end up using the opportunity to attack the mayor and councillors.
Deputy mayor Patrick Coleman (pictured below) said he understood the concerns but insisted that the town council should have “as few barriers as possible” in meetings.
He continued: “It could be argued that we will welcome greater public interest in what we do.
“We listen to what the public say, we take that into account, and we continue with the work we are required to do.
“I think the process of removing boundaries between public and council is a good thing. I think this forum is probably a worthwhile experiment.”
Cllr Deryck Nash said he wanted the discussion to be in the form of a formal meeting chaired by the mayor and pointed out the possibility that 25 minutes would not be sufficient to discuss matters like the Chesterton development.
Cllr Stuart Tarr agreed with Cllr Nash’s suggestion that a chairman should lead the meeting: “Somebody has to have the ability to start the discussion and to stop it.
“We need some structure in which a chairman is recognised so it does not become an uncontrolled debate.”
Mayor Nigel Robbins wanted to make the public meetings as open as possible and less formal.
He said: I do not think we should have a register of members of the public. I think it should just be an opportunity. As a pilot, it is worth experimenting with and we will just see how it goes.”
In response to Cllr Nash’s concerns about time, he said: “At least it will be a way of airing those views in the first place.”
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