Council meetings and decisions

Meeting dates, agendas and decisions

Council decisions are taken at meetings of the Cabinet, Full Council and various specialist committees, which are nearly all open to the public. Very occasionally, parts or all of these meetings may have to be 'behind closed doors' because the information is confidential. However, all the decisions taken by councillors at all their meetings are available to the public, and can be seen in the minutes of the meetings and decision notices.

The calendar of meetings will tell you the dates of forthcoming meetings should you wish to attend any meetings in person. Most meetings are held in the Council Chamber at our Woodbridge offices at Melton Hill.

Meeting agendas and the information reports presented to councillors to help them make their decisions are available online 5 days before the meeting so everyone can see what is being discussed. Minutes of meetings are added as soon as they are available.

Agendas, reports and minutes of Council meetings (new window).

The Council has to publish a forward plan of all key decisions to be taken by the Cabinet, individual Cabinet members, and Council officers under their delegated powers, in the next four months.

Forward Plan - October 2008 to January 2009 (new window PDF 77KB)

Key decisions are decisions which involve expenditure or savings of £50,000 or more and decisions which have a significant effect on communities in two or more wards which change or propose changes to the way local services are used or provided. The forward plan shows:

• when the decisions will be taken;
• who will make the decision;
• to whom representations can be made and how;
• what arrangements are proposed to consult the public and other organisations about the decisions;
• who you can contact about the decision.

Key decisions have to be supported by written reports. Reports for decisions to be taken by the Cabinet are published with the agendas for Cabinet meetings (new window). Reports for decisions to be taken by individual Cabinet members or Council officers are published on the website before the decision is taken.

These reports have to be available to the chairman of the relevant scrutiny committee and the public for five clear working days prior to the decision being taken. After this period the decision can be taken. The decision is then included in a decision notice and published for five clear working days prior to implementation to allow time for it to be 'called in'.

'Calling in' a decision

Key decisions taken by the Cabinet, individual Cabinet members, and Council officers may be 'called in' for reconsideration within five working days from the date they appear on a decision notice.

Calling in a decision can be requested by two members of the same scrutiny committee or five members of Full Council. Once the request for a call-in has been received a meeting of the relevant scrutiny committee is called to discuss it. The decision is then either referred to the Full Council or back to the decision making body or individual for reconsideration. Full details of the call-in procedure can be found in the Council's Constitution.

Reports containing exempt information

The public may be excluded from meetings whenever it is likely that exempt information will be disclosed. Exempt information includes information relating to personal privacy, information about Council negotiations for land, goods or services where disclosure would be likely to prejudice the Council’s position, information about legal proceedings, investigation of crime and security matters.

Reports containing exempt information are released as soon as it is felt appropriate for the information to be made public. Follow this link to see reports that have been made public in the past six months.

Further information

If you require further information or have any queries relating to Council meetings, the forward plan, decisions, agendas, reports and minutes or Council meeting procedures please contact our Democratic Services team on 01394 444326 or email committee.section@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk

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