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Introduction

The majority of Council and committee meetings are held in person.

All agendas and minutes for meetings will be published and the list of upcoming meetings can be found on the Corporate Calendar.

Livestreaming

All public Council and Committee meetings are livestreamed.  You can view the livestream by following the links to the agenda page for the meeting you are interested in and clicking on ‘View meeting here’ near the top of the page.

View meeting recordings from August 2023

Speaking at meetings

If you are registered to speak at a meeting, you can do this within the Council Chamber or remotely. If participating remotely, you will be provided with the meeting details to enable you to login to participate in the meeting. You will be able to speak on your item only and you are able to leave the meeting once you have spoken. All participants' microphones will be muted when they are not speaking to minimise background noise. Guidelines on how to join a meeting will be sent to participants prior to the meeting.

Full Council meetings

Residents and business rate payers are invited to put forward questions at Full Council meetings.

If you would like to ask a question at the Council meeting on Wednesday 7 February, please email democratic.services@merton.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 26 January 2024.

Your question will not be accepted if it is more than 50 words or substantially the same as a question which has been put to a meeting of council in the past six months. Public questions asked at the previous two council meetings can be found here:

You must provide your name and address when submitting your question.

The full rules on asking a question at council are set out in the council's constitution (Part 4A, section 11).

These questions will be reproduced, along with the answers, and published on our website on the day of the meeting. If, having seen the written answer to your question, you wish to ask a supplementary question, please contact democratic.services@merton.gov.uk and we will advise you of the process.

Planning Applications Committee

Development and Planning Applications Committee Procedure

Speakers list

Once the agenda has been published, the speakers list will be open for registration. All speakers must register in advance by contacting the Planning Department no later than 12 noon 72 hours before the meeting by phone (020-8545-3445/3448) or email planning@merton.gov.uk. Where this falls on a weekend the deadline will be the previous Friday. The Chair will review requests to speak based on qualifications and considerations in Table 1.0.

Following the Chair’s review, officers will notify residents of the decision as to who may speak at the committee. This should be no later than 12pm on the day before the committee.

Table 1.0: Qualifications for speakers

TypeMax numberTime to speakQualificationsConsiderations for allocation of speaking slots
Resident supporters or objectorsTwoThree minutes each. Max six minutes
  • Reside in the London Borough of Merton
  • Submitted a written representation to the planning application in question
  • Proximity to the red line boundary of the development
  • Can provide the committee with new insight into the impact development would bring
  • Where an application cross local authority boundaries one slot is always reserved for a Merton resident
Statutory stakeholdersN/AMax six minutesA statutory stakeholder consultee on a planning application e.g. utilitiesCan provide the committee with new insight into the impact development would bring
Ward CouncillorsThreeTwo minutes each. Max six minutesCouncillor in the ward of the developmentWhere an application borders two wards or more at the discretion of the Chair ward speakers can be drawn from more than one ward
Members of Parliament1Two minutesElected Member of Parliament for the constituency the application is in.Ibid...
Cabinet Member1Two minutesCabinet member for an area of material consideration for the purposes of identifying factual information to support aWhere pre-existing council policy exists or development is of strategic importance pre-engagement with the committee at technical briefing and 1:1 conversations will identify gaps in understanding to facilitate most appropriate cabinet member to support committees understanding
Agent and ApplicantN/AMax six minutes
  • Part of the team bringing the application to council for approval
  • Arranged between speakers as to how this time is split.
N/A

The Chair retains discretion to tailor proceedings to facilitate appropriate information for the committee.

All presentations from residents and applicants shall be verbal. The distribution of any documents either electronically or in person by the public during the meeting will not normally be permitted. Those wishing to distribute anything should seek permission from the Chair. Speakers can address the committee remotely or within the Council Chamber. If within the Council Chamber, a traffic light and timer system will be operated and will show on screen. Remote speakers will be verbally advised when they have one minute remaining.

As part of the joining arrangements officers will make speakers aware they do not have legal privilege when speaking before the Committee. It’s important any statements are supported by facts or reasoned opinion.

Ability to clarify comments made by applicant or speaker or to seek expert third party advice

To make informed decisions the Committee may ask a speaker question for the purpose of seeking factual information to better inform decision making. Such questions will be subject to the direction of the Chair if necessary. They are not a means to provide speakers with additional time to make speeches.

If information cannot be verified through publicly available sources there may be a need to secure additional expert witness statements to support deliberations.

Agenda item order

Planning items will be taken in the order decided by the Chair and announced at the start of the meeting. This may differ from the Chair’s standing order in Appendix 1. It is not possible to give the exact time items will be heard. Whilst the Committee will endeavour to consider all items on the agenda, if it is not possible to hear an item, every effort will be made to take it at the next meeting of the Committee.

Licensing Sub-Committee meetings

You are only able to speak at a Licensing Sub-Committee if you are a registered party to the hearing. For further information please contact 020 8545 3357.

Current list of licence applications

Speaking at all other meetings

The procedures for speaking will remain the same as previously – please contact the Democratic Services Team if you wish to speak at another meeting not listed above by emailing democratic.services@merton.gov.uk or telephoning 020 8545 3616/3357.

Technical issues

If you experience any technical issues prior to or during the meeting you can contact a member of the Democratic Services Team on the number given on the front page of the agenda.

Meeting etiquette

Information on meeting etiquette will be sent to participants prior to attending a meeting. For any further queries regarding virtual meetings please email us at democratic.services@merton.gov.uk or telephone: 020 8545 3616/3357.