Session Actualities and Questions (7:30 p.m.)

Each Political Evening starts with a session Current Affairs & Questions. During this session, council and civic members pose questions about current events to the College of Mayor and Aldermen. After the college answers those questions, there is an opportunity for council members to discuss current events with each other as well.

This session is open to the public and will take place in the council chamber. Interested parties may attend as listeners.

Informational, advisory, imaging and judgment sessions (from 8 p.m.)

During a Political Evening, the City Council discusses up to 6 different topics in so-called sessions. If the topic does not (yet) require a decision, it is discussed in an information or advisory session. If the council does need to make a decision, the council proposal is discussed in a deliberative session.

Each group delegates 1 representative to a session. This can be a council member or a citizen member. Thus, at each session there are a maximum of 7 participants. Each session is chaired by a session chair and he is assisted by a session clerk.

A maximum of 45 minutes is normally reserved for each session. For simple topics, this can sometimes be shortened to a maximum of 30 minutes and for extensive or complex topics we reserve up to sometimes 90 minutes.

Informational session

In an information session, the City Council is briefed by the college on a topic. This may be an explanation of the status of a particular project, or a presentation on a topic that is about to start. In any case, it is always about a subject on which the council does not (or not yet) have to decide.

An informational session is open to the public. Interested parties may attend as listeners.

Advisory session

In an advisory session, the college gauges how city council members view a policy issue or solution. For example, in the run-up to a council proposal or on an issue on which the college itself may decide. The college presents a number of questions, with or without options. The council (or better: the representatives of the political groups present) is asked for a response, but this is emphatically not a council decision.

An advisory session is open to the public. Interested parties may attend as observers.

Imaging session

Concrete proposals from the college on which the council must decide go through the PDO model: Image formation - Judgment formation - Decision formation. Image formation is about the council being able to get a good picture of the proposal. What is it about and (sometimes just as important) what is it not about. What are the consequences of the requested decision and who all has been involved in the preliminary process.

An imaging session is open to the public. Interested parties may attend as observers. It is also possible to participate in the discussion. At the beginning of the session you will have a maximum of 5 minutes to give your opinion to the council members. If you wish, you can remain at the table afterwards to answer possible questions from the council members.

Judgment session

The next step toward decision-making is the Judgment phase. The council members state what they think about the proposal and they debate it with each other. They question each other and in case of disagreement they will try to use arguments to convince the other to revise his opinion. This stage is all about political debate. If a council member plans to table a motion or amendment, it will often be announced at this stage to find supporters. This makes the judgment session the most important step in the decision-making process in terms of content.

A judgment session is open to the public. Interested parties may attend as observers. It is also possible to speak. At the beginning of the session you will have a maximum of 5 minutes to give your opinion to the council members. You will then be seated in the public gallery.

Council meeting (9 p.m.)

Once every 4 weeks, the Political Evening includes a council meeting. During the council meeting, the city council decides on proposals previously discussed in substance during opinion-forming and judgment sessions. Many of these are hammer items. This means that the proposal is no longer debated, but is voted on directly. If a proposal is designated as a discussion item, the proposal is still discussed (briefly). Or motions and/or amendments are submitted that will be voted on.

The council meeting is open to the public and always takes place in the council chamber. Interested parties may attend as listeners.

Speaking along or chiming in

Interested parties and stakeholders can participate in an image-forming session and speak in a judgment session. If you would like to participate or speak, you must register with the City Council's Municipal Clerk’s Office s Office at least 24 hours prior to the Political Evening. You can do so by emailing Municipal Clerk’s Office Office@sonenbreugel.nl