Attending Committee Meetings

If you are interested in how the Council works, why not come along to a meeting to see how decisions are made.

Members of the public and members of the press may attend any formal Committee meeting where business is being discussed in public.  There are certain matters which a committee may discuss in private, and at those times, members of the public and press are not allowed in the debating chamber. 

All matters to be discussed at a meeting are set out in the agenda or notice of meeting.  At most committee meetings, where there are both public and private items on the agenda, the public items will be debated first.  The agendas for each committee are sent out to libraries and are also put on the notice board in the reception area at Council Headquarters, Newtown St Boswells at least 3 working days before the date of the meeting.

If you attend a committee meeting, you are entitled to have access to a copy of the agenda and any reports which are being debated in public.  The Committee and Elections Officer in attendance will have spare copies of these available at the meeting, or if you wish to study these in advance, they are available on this website. 

When you do attend a committee meeting, you will be able to listen to the debate and hear the decisions made by the Councillors.  However, you are not allowed to join in the debate, or speak on any item, unless you have been given prior permission by the Chairman of the committee or are invited to do so at the meeting by the Chairman. 

At Area Committee meetings - held in Cheviot Area and Teviot & Liddesdale Area - there are special sessions in which members of the public may put questions to the Councillors or officers in attendance.  If your question cannot be answered at the time, you will be given a reply in writing later.