Chiswick Area Committee

Guidelines for Members of the Public attending Chiswick Area Committee (Monitoring) meetings

The Committee is part of the Borough Council's decision-making machinery. Its role is to monitor local services provided by the Council and external agencies and to receive petitions on matters of local significance. The Committee covers all of Hounslow Borough -cast of the North Circular.

There are specific agenda items which will be discussed by the Area Committee and on which the community will be invited to give their views. There is also a standing item on the agenda which will provide time for community representatives or individuals to indicate broad matters of local concern and thus to influence the content of future agendas. Council officers are present to give advice and information. Debate and decisions are the responsibility of the Members on the Area Committee.

Provisional timings will be allocated for agenda items to assist the Chairman in managing the Committee's business. Each item will normally include a 20 minute slot for community interaction which will take place after the Committee's initial consideration of the item. A longer period will be programmed into the agenda for items likely to generate wider interest; other items might receive less time.

In order to best manage the time allocated for community participation, the Chairman will firstly seek an indication of those wishing to speak and can then, if necessary, limit speakers to a specific time limit (an absolute maximum of 5 minutes per speaker will be allowed). Preference will normally be given to representatives of community groups, trader associations, etc. and those directly concerned with the issue.

If you wish to speak it would be helpful if you could stand at the microphone as acoustics are poor in the hall. Please try and keep your comments brief and to the point and not repeat what others have already said. Please could you state your name and any Organisation you represent or if you have any other particular involvement in the issue under discussion.

If you have individual queries on matters not pertinent to the meeting, members and officers are always happy to speak to members of the public on a one-to-one basis either before or after the meeting. You can also contact your local Councillor at their regular ward surgeries. Details are available at the meeting.

The Committee meets eight times a year. Details of dates, times and venues are available at the meeting.

If you have any queries or wish to receive information about the Area Committee on a regular basis please contact the committee clerk, Mike Smith, on 020 8583 2069.