Find out what issues are being discussed

You can find out what issues are being discussed by your local councillors by attending meetings and/or looking at the paperwork for those meetings. You can attend most meetings of the council, although usually you will not be able to speak at them.

Every council must publish a "forward work plan" listing the decisions that will be taken over the coming months. They also publish meeting papers at least five working days in advance, and afterwards they publish the minutes of the meeting, summarising the decisions made. Local authorities may exclude the public from meetings and withhold papers only in limited circumstances.

The forward work plan of meetings and published paperwork will be available on your council’s website. If you know what is being discussed, you will have the opportunity to influence the discussion through contact with councillors.