Do the Town Council make decisions behind closed doors?
Absolutely not! The Town Council is obliged to publish meeting papers five days before each meeting. These notices include details of the meeting, when and where it will take place and what is on the agenda. They are published on Town Council Notice Boards and in Public Libraries and the press.

Can the public see these papers?
They can indeed. The public also have access to read these papers at the Town Hall or in Public Libraries. A few items are confidential and not legally available to the public but most of the agenda will be available. The minutes of meetings, which summarise decisions made, are also published and available to read in these locations as well as on here, our website. You can attend most meetings of the Council, although usually you will not be able to speak at them unless by prior consent of the Chairman.

Who makes the final decision on matters?
While the Town Council, which is a meeting of all 18 elected Members of the Council, is theoretically responsible for all the decisions made, in practice most of the work is delegated to Committees or Officers. Newark is one of a few councils who have a Town Mayor. The Mayor has an historic ceremonial role and undertakes Civic duties as well as Chairing full Town Council meetings.

What do the Committees do?
Newark Town Council has a committee structure dealing with separate aspects of the Council's business, it has three standing committees, and occassional sub-committees and working groups. The three standing Committees are Environment & Leisure, Planning & Regeneration and Finance & Policy.

How can I speak to a Councillor?
As well as being able to attend most Council meetings and having access to meeting papers and notes, you can also contact your local Councillor about relevant issues. A Councillor is elected by the local community every four years and is there to represent its views, so remember to use your vote at the local elections. The list of Councillors' names and contact details and their Committee roles can be found under the Meet Your Councillors link on the right of this screen.