UPDATE - City of Ballarat reponds:
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The City of Ballarat issued the following statement in response to concerns over the changes.
'The City of Ballarat has altered its Public Question Time and Public Representations protocols for the April 22 Ordinary Council Meeting to retain the ability for the public to continue to contribute and participate.
'Representations and questions will now be able to be put in writing, rather than in person, to allow for the Victorian Government's COVID-19 Stage 3 social distancing measures to be adhered to. This is the only change.
'All other protocols and requirements relating to Public Question Time and Public Representations advised this week already apply as part of the City of Ballarat Meeting Procedure Local Law 2018, including no allowance for a preamble to the question.
'These requirements were restated for clarity, with the additions of items 14-17 to ensure equitable access for residents; and enabling adequate resources when providing responses.
'City of Ballarat business services director Glenn Kallio said the only change was to allow for questions in writing due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in place.
'"It is important that members of the public have access to Council meetings and to have their views heard. The only difference between a meeting where COVID-19 restrictions apply and one where they don't is this new ability to put questions and representations in writing, instead of verbally. There are no other changes to our Public Question Time and Public Representations protocols or requirements," Mr Kallio said.
'"We are trying our best to be open and inclusive during this difficult time and this is one way we are ensuring the public can still be heard at the upcoming council meeting."'
EARLIER:
Former mayor of the City of Ballarat John Barnes says it's admirable council has made changes which enable the continued existence of question time during council meetings, but it is important to ensure the changes don't become enshrined as a permanent part of procedure when the coronavirus pandemic eases.
The City has issued a statement advising alterations for the April 22 council meeting, due to COVID-19 Stage 3 restrictions.
Mr Barnes says as he understands the changes, there are some new restrictions which mirror changes originally sought to question time by council officers in December 2018.
The restrictions sought in 2018 would have had a significant effect on the right of the public to speak at council meetings and to have their submissions heard by councillors, Mr Barnes said.
Although those 2018 restrictions were not implemented, Mr Barnes says the current changes such as requiring the public to submit questions in writing, and deny them a preamble, were among the restrictions sought originally.
"I want to give the council credit where it's due," Mr Barnes said.
"These changes do allow members of the public to make submissions still; however they could be more flexible."
Among the changes - there are many - is a limit of two questions per person: 'the questions must be in English, must be 75 words or less and not include a preamble, other additional material, or multiple parts.'
These changes do allow members of the public to make submissions still; however they could be more flexible
- John Barnes
There are 17 conditions for disallowing a question including if the question relates to industrial, contractual, personnel or proposed development matters; would require, on the advice of the CEO, an unreasonable diversion of council resources to prepare a response; is aimed at embarrassing a councillor or a council staff member; or has previously been asked by the same person.
The last condition, says Mr Barnes, is particularly restrictive if a response from a councillor or council officer has been deliberately obstructive, misleading, evasive or disingenuous.
"I'm surprised these changes were done behind closed doors and haven't been discussed more openly," Mr Barnes said.
"These conditions make it much harder for constituents to raise matters openly in front of their elected councillors. I would be concerned if there were an effort to make these changes permanent, beyond the end of the pandemic; both the public and councillors benefit from decisions informed by discussion and a breadth of opinion."
Changes to the regulations for the CoB question time are on the council web portal. The Courier is awaiting a CoB media team response.