Making a Deputation to a Scrutiny Panel

Fareham Borough Council has adopted a Deputation Scheme for all of its meetings which form the Council's Committee Structure. The scheme allows anyone with a vested interested in the Council, e.g. living, working, studying or the owner of property or a business in the Borough to speak on a specific topic which falls within the Council's powers and functions. This page outlines the guidelines and rules for speaking at a meeting of the any of the Council's 8 Scrutiny Panels. 

Information about Scrutiny Panel Meetings

Each Scrutiny Panel is scheduled to hold 4 meetings a year, but this can vary depending on the work priorities for each portfolio. These meetings usually take place in the Collingwood Room. Scrutiny Panel meetings are each attended by the 7 Councillors.

Further details about each of our Scrutiny Panel meetings and a full list of meeting dates can be found by following the relevant link below. If you are unsure about which Scrutiny Panel you wish to speak at, please contact a member of our Democratic Services Team.

Climate Change Scrutiny Panel

Daedalus Scrutiny Panel

Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel

Housing Scrutiny Panel

Leisure and Community Scrutiny Panel

Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel

Policy and Resources Scrutiny Panel

Streetscene Scrutiny Panel

How to apply to make a deputation

You must formally apply to us in writing to submit a request to make a deputation.  This must happen regardless of whether you wish to speak in person, or submit a written deputation. 

If you are requesting to make a written deputation, please do not submit your written deputation at this stage.  You will be contacted to confirm your request has been accepted, and at that point, advised further. 

To lodge your request to make a deputation, this can be done via email, by post, completing a form at the Civic Offices or by completing this online form: Deputation Request.

We require the deputation request only to be submitted to Democratic Services by noon 3 working days before the meeting. For example, if the meeting is to be held on a Wednesday afternoon, your application to make a deputation must be received by noon on Friday the week before.

Please note that we will not be able to accept any submitted written deputations unless you have made a deputation request first, and this has been confirmed.

Guidelines for making deputation to a Scrutiny Panel

If you would like to speak at any of our 8 Scrutiny Panels we ask that you abide by a few ground rules:

• An application to make a deputation, providing brief details of the subject matter, must be submitted to Democratic Services by noon 2 working days before the meeting, e.g. if the meeting is to be held on a Wednesday evening, your deputation must be received by noon on the Monday before.
• Deputations can be in person or as a written statement which will be circulated to Members of the Panel prior to the meeting. Written Statements must be received by noon the day before the meeting.
• Any written or photographic supporting material must be submitted to Democratic Services prior to the meeting. Please discuss any supporting material with us so that we can ensure that, if appropriate, it is circulated in good time.
• The maximum time you will be allocated to speak at the meeting is 10 minutes (1,300 words in the case of a written statement). Your deputation will be timed, and we ask that you do not exceed the time allocated to you. The total time allocated at a meeting for deputations is 30 minutes. If more than 3 deputations are received, the total time will be shared equally between Deputees.

We ask that anyone making a deputation respect these rules, conducting themselves in an appropriate manner. Our meetings are held in public and our officers must ensure that all our meetings proceed in a fair and just way, for the benefit of everyone in attendance.

The rules of our deputation scheme are bound by the Councils Constitution, which can be found by following this link - Deputation Scheme.

The Council's Committee Officers are available to discuss any aspect of the deputation process. We understand how potentially daunting giving a deputation can be, so we are here to help. If you have any queries or require any further clarification, then please call Democratic Services on 01329 824581 or email democraticservices@fareham.gov.uk.