Community Forums
We want to give local people every opportunity to have a say in how their district is run.
The aim of Community Forums is to be more welcoming, relevant, interesting and engaging so more people can get involved in the decisions that affect their area.
Your Community Forum
Community forums are open to everyone. You may want to attend a meeting where you live, where you work, or where your children are at school. You can ask a question, raise issues of concern to the local community, or present a petition.
There are four community forums, each covering different parts of the district:
- Alton and surrounding villages
- Clanfield, Horndean and Rowlands Castle
- Petersfield, Liss and surrounding villages
- Whitehill/Bordon, Liphook, Headley, Grayshott and Lindford
The meetings focus on issues related to the environment, health, crime, community safety, transport or the needs of groups such as young people, people with disabilities or older people.
Decision Makers
Appropriate speakers, including decision makers, will be invited to the community forum to answer questions and hear views from the public. This could include the local police inspector, or head teacher, as well as district councillors and officers.
What happens in the meeting
The meetings will follow the same kind of format as any other committee meeting - in that there will be an agenda and minutes etc (see 'Committees' page for full details).
Council Officers
Council officers sit near the chairman. These include the Committee and Members' Services Co-ordinator and other members of council staff who are on hand to advise, answer questions and to record the decisions of the meeting.
The public
At the chairman's discretion, the public are welcome to put forward their views on most, if not all, items on the agenda. Themed discussions, in particular, are run to ensure everyone can easily have their say. 'Public Questions' are held at the beginning of the meeting, and this is open to any local resident or business ratepayer or their representative.
The press
Local reporters are encouraged to attend the meetings to get as much publicity as possible for the decisions and discussions at community forums. We send journalists copies of the agenda papers in advance as well as press releases.
Related documents