Council meetings
Details of all Council meetings from May 2020, along with agenda, minutes and report papers can be found on Democracy North East Lincolnshire.
To see what meetings are planned view all upcoming meetings.
For meeting papers from before May 2020 go to Council, Cabinet and Portfolio Holder meetings (June 2016 to May 2020).
Details of previous decisions made by the Planning Committee on individual applications can be found via the Planning Portal.
Public involvement at meetings
There are a number of ways you can contribute at council meetings.
Public questions at full council meetings
We have a public question time scheme which allows the public to put questions to the appropriate member of cabinet at full council meetings subject to details of the question being submitted in writing five clear working days before the meeting.
Anyone who lives in North East Lincolnshire may ask questions of members of the cabinet at ordinary meetings of the Council. A period of up to 15 minutes at the beginning of each meeting shall be allowed for questions to be put.
Each question must give the name and address of the questioner and must specify the member of the cabinet either by name or portfolio to whom it is to be put.
To submit a question complete our Public question time at council meetings form.
Alternatively, questions may be submitted in writing , addressed to the Chief Executive, North East Lincolnshire Council, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU.
No more than two questions may be asked by any one person at any meeting.
The Chief Executive shall be solely responsible for the selection of questions to be answered. Any question may be edited by the Chief Executive to bring into proper form and to secure reasonable brevity.
The minutes of the meeting will record the details of the questions that have been asked and by whom, together with the answers given.
If the person asking the question is present at the meeting s/he shall be given the opportunity of putting the question and the relevant cabinet member shall respond. The questioner shall also be given the answer in writing.
If the person asking the question is not present at the meeting the question and answer shall be circulated in writing to members and sent to the questioner.
Neither the questions submitted or the responses given shall be the subject of debate.
Public questions at scrutiny meetings
Any person who lives in North East Lincolnshire can ask a scrutiny panel any question relating to the remit of that panel.
The question has to be submitted in writing to the Deputy Chief Executive (in their role as statutory scrutiny officer) at the Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, no later than five working days before the date of the relevant scrutiny panel.
The Deputy Chief Executive will be responsible for confirming which scrutiny panel the question will go to. The Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the monitoring officer, shall be responsible for deciding the extent to which the answer to a question should reveal information which is exempt information within the meaning of schedule 12A of the local government act 1972.
Public questions will appear as an agenda item (as the first agenda item after apologies and declarations of interest) for the relevant scrutiny panel, as and when there are questions.
The agenda item on public questions will not exceed 15 minutes in total, with three minutes allocated to each individual question.
If the person asking the question is present at the meeting, they shall be given the opportunity of putting the question to the panel and will receive a copy of the response in writing after the meeting. The person asking the question needs to be made aware that it may not be possible to provide a full response at the meeting, as it may depend on the panel or a partner organisation (for example one of the NHS Trusts) reviewing the issue in greater detail, or referring the matter to the relevant portfolio holder or officer before a final response is provided.
If the person asking the question is not present at the meeting, they will be sent a copy of the response to their question in writing
No more than two questions may be asked by any one person at the meeting.
Questions and answers shall not be the subject of debate by the panel unless the panel Chair, on advice from the legal representative, considers it to be appropriate and necessary.
Questions and summarised answers will be included in the minutes of the meeting.
Having your say at a planning committee
Applicants, their agents or members of the public may attend the Council’s planning committee and speak for a limited time on any planning proposal in which they have an interest.
If you wish to speak at a planning committee meeting, please complete our Request to speak at a planning committee form.
We support the principle of transparency and encourage filming, recording and taking photographs at our public meetings.
We also welcome the use of social media and blogging to communicate with people about what is happening at a meeting.
Notification of filming
There is no requirement to notify us in advance, but the Chairman of the meeting will have absolute discretion to terminate or suspend any of these activities if, in their opinion, continuing to do so would prejudice proceedings at the meeting.
The circumstances in which termination or suspension might occur could include:
- public disturbance or suspension of the meeting
- the meeting agreeing to formally exclude the press and public from the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business being discussed
- where it is considered that continued recording/photography/filming/webcasting might infringe the rights of any individual or otherwise disrupt proceedings
- when the Chairman considers that a defamatory statement has been made
Editing of footage or images
It is expected that those recording meetings will not edit any film, recording or photograph in a way that could lead to misinterpretation or misrepresentation of the proceedings.
This includes refraining from editing an image or views expressed in a way that may ridicule, or show a lack of respect towards those being photographed, filmed or recorded.
Filming equipment
Those intending to bring large equipment or wishing to discuss any special requirements are advised to contact our communications team at [email protected] in advance of the meeting to seek advice and guidance. Such requests will be subject to practical considerations and the constraints of specific meeting rooms.
The use of flash photography or additional lighting will not be allowed unless this has been discussed in advance of the meeting and agreement reached on how it can be done without disrupting proceedings.
At the beginning of each meeting, the Chairman will make an announcement that the meeting may be filmed, recorded or photographed. Meeting agendas will also carry this message.
A Councillor call for action is a way for elected members to bring matters of community concern within their ward to the attention of the Council, through the scrutiny process.
Councillor call for action protocol
Our Councillor call for action protocol governs how this works and sets out elected members rights in relation to bringing matters of community concern to the attention of the Council.
The protocol and the supporting legislative framework are intended to enhance our overview and scrutiny arrangements and provide a formal mechanism for enabling elected members to seek positive outcomes for the citizens they represent.
The Councillor call for action is a mechanism for enabling elected members to bring matters of ward concern to the attention of the Council, via the scrutiny process.
2. The constitution provides that any Councillor may request that an item is placed on a scrutiny panel agenda, for consideration. The member making that request does not have to be a member of the specific (or any) scrutiny panel. Inclusion of the matter on the agenda is at the discretion of the Chairman.
3. The constitution also provides for the consideration of petitions submitted by members of the public, subject to the petition procedure rules. Ward councillors may encourage citizens to submit petitions as a means of bringing issues of concern to the Council’s attention.
4. The call for action is deemed to be an option of “last resort”. A call for action will only be included on the relevant scrutiny panel agenda if the Chairman, in consultation with the monitoring officer, is satisfied that:
- The councillor has made all reasonable efforts to resolve the matter via direct liaison with council officers and/or relevant partners; and
- The issue of concern is a matter in respect of which the Council has a statutory power or duty to deal with and is not precluded by adopted Council policy or legislation; and
- The issue of concern has a demonstrable impact on a part or the whole of the Councillor’s ward; and
- The call for action does not, in any event, relate to:
- any matter relating to a planning decision;
- any matter relating to a licensing decision;
- any matter relating to an individual or entity in respect of which that individual or entity has a right of recourse to a review or right of appeal conferred by or under any enactment;
- any matter which is vexatious, discriminatory or not reasonable to be included in the agenda for, or to be discussed at, a meeting of the overview and scrutiny board / panel or at a meeting of a sub-committee thereof.
5. A valid call for action will be considered at the next ordinary meeting of the relevant scrutiny panel or at a special meeting of the panel, within 14 days of validation, whichever is the sooner.
6. The subject matter of the call for action will be the subject of a report from the relevant Executive Director, with such supporting information and evidence as is reasonably available. If the matter also or exclusively entails consideration of information held by another public body or partner, an appropriate representative shall be invited to the scrutiny panel meeting to provide that information, make representations and answer questions.
7. The call for action will be considered by the scrutiny panel in public session unless consideration of the issues involves the disclosure of exempt or confidential information as defined by the access to information procedure rules of the constitution.
8. A ward councillor may address the scrutiny panel in respect of the call for action for up to ten minutes.
9. The scrutiny panel may also consider representations from any citizens of the ward affected by the call for action, subject to the discretion of the Chairman.
10. If the call for action concerns issues that fall within the remit of the Cabinet, the relevant portfolio holder shall also attend the scrutiny panel to answer questions and make any representations.
11. The ward Councillor’s role in the consideration of the call for action, as with any other formal council business, is subject to compliance with the members’ code of conduct.
12. Crime and disorder matters:
In accordance with the provisions of section 19 of the Police and Justice Act 2006, Councillors may bring crime and disorder matters to the attention of the designated crime and disorder committee as follows:
(a) Where a Councillor is asked to consider a local crime and disorder matter by a person who lives or works in the area that the Councillor represents –
(a) The Councillor shall consider the matter and respond to the person who requested that the matter be considered, indicating what (if any) action the Councillor proposes to take
(b) The Councillor may refer the matter to the Council’s designated crime and disorder committee
(c) In any case where the Councillor declines to refer the matter to the crime and disorder committee, the person who asked the Councillor to consider the matter may refer the issue to the Cabinet for consideration
(d) In any case where the Cabinet considers a matter referred under sub-paragraph (c) above, the Cabinet shall consider the matter and indicate what action (if any) it proposes to take
(e) The Cabinet, in considering any matter under sub-paragraph (d) may refer the matter to the crime and disorder committee for consideration
(f) In any case where the crime and disorder committee considers a matter referred to it under sub-paragraphs (b) or (e), the crime and disorder committee shall consider the matter and make a report or recommendations to the Council or the Cabinet with respect to it
(g) Where the crime and disorder committee makes a report or recommendations pursuant to sub-paragraph (f) it shall make a copy of the report or recommendations available to the responsible authorities and any other co-operating person or body it considers appropriate
(h) An authority, person or body to which a report or recommendations is provided under sub-paragraph (g) shall:
- Consider the report or recommendations
- Respond to the crime and disorder committee indicating what (if any) action it proposes to take
- Have regard to the report or recommendations in exercising its functions
(i) Section 19 of the Police and Justice Act defines a “local crime and disorder matter”, as a matter concerning:
- Crime and disorder (including in particular forms of crime and disorder that involve anti-social behaviour or other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment) in the area represented by the member, or
- The misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in that area
(j) Crime and disorder matters shall be referred to the crime and disorder committee in accordance with paragraphs 5-11 of this protocol
If you have any questions regarding the protocol, please contact our democratic services by email at [email protected] or by phone on 01472 324121.
Meetings
Boards
Committees
Portfolio holders
Scrutiny panels
Contact details
- 01472 324121
- [email protected]
- Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU