(1) Procedures for the asking of and responding to questions raised by members of the public at a meeting referred to in regulation 6(1) are to be determined ¾

(a) by the person presiding at the meeting; or

(b) in the case where the majority of members of the council or committee present at the meeting disagree with the person presiding, by the majority of those members,

having regard to the requirements of subregulations (2), (3) and (5).

(2) The time allocated to the asking of and responding to questions raised by members of the public at a meeting referred to in regulation 6(1) is to precede the discussion of any matter that requires a decision to be made by the council or the committee, as the case may be.

(3) Each member of the public who wishes to ask a question at a meeting referred to in regulation 6(1) is to be given an equal and fair opportunity to ask the question and receive a response.

(4) Nothing in subregulation (3) requires ¾

(a) a council to answer a question that does not relate to a matter affecting the local government;

(b) a council at a special meeting to answer a question that does not relate to the purpose of the meeting; or

(c) a committee to answer a question that does not relate to a function of the committee.

(5) If, during the time allocated for questions to be raised by members of the public and responded to, a question relating to a matter in which a relevant person has an interest, as referred to in section 5.60, is directed to the relevant person, the relevant person is to ¾

(a) declare that he or she has an interest in the matter; and

(b) allow another person to respond to the question.

[Regulation 7 amended in Gazette 28 Jun 2002 p. 3079.]