Any person who lives, works or studies in Hackney may ask a question at cabinet, or full council.
Ask a question at cabinet
The elected Mayor of Hackney is the political leader of the council. The mayor appoints a number of councillors to be cabinet councillors and mayoral advisors. Together, the mayor and cabinet councillors are known as the Cabinet.
Submit a question by completing our online form.
Read the frequently asked questions before submitting your question.
Full council comprises the elected mayor and 57 councillors. It’s the political focal point for the council and is responsible for setting the overall corporate direction.
Submit a question by completing our online form.
Read the frequently asked questions before submitting your question.
You may ask a question at cabinet without giving notice, however this is at the agreement of the Chair. If it is not possible to give a full answer at the meeting the relevant cabinet member will provide a written response.
You should submit your question in advance if you wish to receive a detailed response at the meeting.
Full Council
We hold full council meetings on a Wednesday.
To ask a question at full council you must provide written notice of your question by 12pm, four working days before the meeting. This means we must receive questions by 12pm on the Wednesday before the meeting.
You should submit your question in advance of the deadline so that there is an opportunity to resolve any issues. We will take any questions submitted after the deadline forward to the next full council meeting.
How many questions may I ask?
You may ask one question at any meeting.
Public questions are not tabled at the annual meeting of the council, which takes place in May each year.
Are there any rules about what type of question I may ask?
Yes, we may reject your question if it:
is not about a matter for which the local authority has a responsibility, or which affects the Borough
is defamatory, frivolous or offensive
is substantially the same as a question, motion or deputation which has been put at a meeting of full council in the past six months
requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information
relates to an individual planning or licensing application
Is there a maximum length for my question?
Yes, a question cannot be any longer than 50 words.
How do I know whether my proposed question is substantially the same as a question, motion or deputation considered by a meeting of full council within the previous six months?
You can find out what questions, motions or deputations have been considered by full council or cabinet by contacting governance@hackney.gov.uk
Are questions asked at the meeting in any specific order?
Questions will appear on the agenda. They are asked in the order in which they are received, although similar questions may be grouped together for convenience.
What is the protocol for asking my question at the meeting?
When the agenda item on public questions is reached, the mayor or speaker will announce the name of the questioner and invite you to come forward to ask your question. You should ask the question exactly as it appears in the agenda papers.
If you are unable to come to the meeting, then you will be given a written reply to your question.
Can I ask a supplementary question?
If you are present at the meeting then following the reply, you may ask one supplementary question. Any supplementary question must arise directly out of the response that has been given and may not be a new question.
A supplementary question may also be rejected for the reasons given above.
Is there a time limit for public questions at cabinet and full council?
Cabinet
Yes. A total of 15 minutes is allowed for questions and answers. If a question is being answered at the end of the allocated time, the response may be completed.
If there are questions which have not been answered at the end of the allocated time, then the questioner will be provided with a written response. You should receive a written response within 10 working days of the meeting.
Full Council
Yes. A total of 30 minutes is allowed for questions and answers. If a question is being answered at the end of the allocated time, the response may be completed.
If there are questions which have not been answered at the end of the allocated time, then the questioner will be provided with a written response. You should receive a written response within 10 working days of the meeting.
What will you do with my personal information when I submit a question?
You are not obliged to provide your contact details, but we will be unable to process your question without them.
Your name will be published on the agenda papers and will be provided to the person to whom your question is addressed. Your address and other contact details will only be used by the council to enable us to check that you are entitled to ask a question at full council and to contact you with regards to that question. If you are unhappy with the handling of your data you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
We livestream our council meetings meaning that you will appear on the council’s YouTube. Recordings of council meetings are kept on the channel for approximately two years before being removed and archived by the council.