Committee Public Forum - Does it work well?

Bristol City Council wants to increase public engagement so that our views can be represented and heard at committee meetings. One of the mechanisms for public engagement is the "Public Forum" section of the meeting (usually 30 minutes) where member of the public can ask questions and make statements directly to the members of the Committee. Questions and Statements must be submitted before the meeting and written responses to questions are published online. But if you want to make your voice heard at the meeting you have to travel to City Hall where you will be given an opportunity to ask a supplementary question or make supplementary statement. See "How to have your say"

Involving local people in decisions is the cornerstone of local democracy. There are many ways you can contribute and get your voice heard at public meetings. This quick reference guide explains the council’s different public meetings, what they are for, and how you can have your say

At a recent Council Meeting you can watch an exchange that shows some of the challenges with the Public Forum. Dan Ackroyd is a regular attendee at Committee Meetings and you can see his experience by watching the clips below.

Homes and Housing Delivery Policy Committee - Friday, 4th April, 2025 10.00 am

"You have had two supplementary questions" (view video)

Dan was not permitted to ask another question, despite there being plenty of time for this agenda item.

The meeting was adjourned for seven minutes where no recording is available.

After the adjournment Dan was allowed to ask his additional question as there was time for it on the agenda.

Councillor Zoe Peat said

"Sometimes we seem to treat members of the gallery with a certain amount of contempt" (view video)

Questions and Comments

Only people who attend the meetings can ask supplementary questions, which means people who cannot get to City Hall in person cannot take part. Would it be possible to allow people to attend meetings online so more people can ask questions "in person"?

Thirty minutes are set aside in the agenda for "Public Forum" but most meetings (with the exception of Full Council) do not use the whole 30 minutes as very few members of the public usually attend the meeting. When the 30 minutes are not used, perhaps the chair could summarise the other questions/statements that were asked and ask Councillors for their views?

When meetings are recorded, it is possible for anyone to watch the public forum element of the meeting, which could give other people the confidence to submit questions and even attend the meeting in person. The Council should record all meetings to increase transparency. Why don't the Council record all committee meetings?