Public to directly question cabinet for first time

Medway Council will begin offering members of the public an opportunity to question councillors during cabinet meetings.

The local authority will allocate 20 minutes for public questions on every cabinet agenda in a six-month pilot project to offer more interactions with residents, starting with Tuesday's meeting.

Previously the public could only ask questions at full council meetings.

The council can reject questions that are frivolous, defamatory, offensive, or not related to a matter for which it has responsibility, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council administration will answer as many questions as it can within the allotted time and any left unanswered will receive a written response.

Attendees must submit questions via the council's website at least three working days before a meeting.

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