There are several ways you can influence council decisions and take part in local democracy in Central Bedfordshire.
You can take part in consultations, attend council meetings, speak to your local councillor, create petitions or vote in elections.
Your Voice Matters - take part in consultations
Consultations allow residents and organisations to give their views on proposed changes to council policies, strategies and services.
We publish consultations on our website and promote them through email alerts and social media.
Public and statutory notices
We publish public and statutory notices on our website. These relate to legal notices issued by the council, such as planning or traffic changes.
Each notice explains what the notice relates to, how you can comment and the deadline for responses.
Attend or speak at a council meeting
Many council decisions are made at public meetings that anyone can attend.
You can watch meetings live online or attend in person. Recordings are also available after the meeting.
How to speak at a public meeting
If you wish to speak at most council meetings, you must register to speak no later than two clear working days before the meeting.
If you wish to speak at a Development Management Committee meeting, email committeemeetings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
Once you have registered to speak, we will send you details about how to take part in the meeting.
Committees, meetings and agendas
You can find information about council meetings on our committees, meetings and agendas page.
This includes:
- when meetings take place
- what committees we have
- agendas and reports for upcoming meetings
- a history of decisions made at previous meetings
Speak to your local councillor
Your local councillor represents residents in your area and can raise issues on your behalf.
Create or sign an e-petition
E-petitions allow residents to raise issues and ask the council to consider them.
Voting in elections
Voting allows you to choose the people who represent your community.
You can register to vote if you are:
- 16 or over (you can vote once you are 18)
- a UK, Republic of Ireland or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
- a citizen of a European Union country living in the UK
- a citizen of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory living in the UK
More information about elections and the electoral register is available on our elections pages.