Residents are continuing to lobby Wyndham council to change the format of question time.
The council received two submissions to its draft meeting procedures and local laws, which were released for community consultation last month.
Both submissions asked the council to allow ratepayers to become more involved in question time, with Werribee’s Pam Strong calling for residents to be given a ‘‘right of reply’’.
Hoppers Crossing’s Bro Sheffield Brotherton told the council that residents sometimes felt their questions had been misinterpreted by officers.
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“Questions are often read out inaccurately and sometimes summarised so that questioners feel the real meaning has been lost,’’ he said.
“Public question time has long been a source of frustration for people taking an interest in Wyndham council meetings.”
Mr Sheffield Brotherton urged the council to allow residents to clarify their questions to ensure officers understood what was being asked. As reported by the Weekly, Wyndham’s question time procedures have been criticised by residents and Cr Gautam Gupta for not being open and democratic.
If approved, the draft regulations would mean question time would continue to be held towards the end of council meetings, with residents required to submit their questions in writing before the meeting begins.
Residents must remain in the public gallery for their questions and won’t have a chance to clarify or reply to the answer given.
The council has defended its decision to recommend question time stay the same, saying that meetings are the ‘‘business end’’ of council processes, and there are other opportunities for residents to ask questions.
A final decision on the meeting procedures and local laws will be made at next month’s council meeting.
