Council Delegations

What is a Delegation?

A delegation is the formal term for an individual or group who appear before Council (or a Council Committee) in order to:

  • make a presentation on a matter that is of broad interest and that falls within the jurisdiction of the Town;
  • enter a request for action
  • register a complaint
  • initiate interest or guidance to a solution for an item of public concern;
  • bring Council up to date on a project, idea, or concept; or
  • provide further information on an issue currently before the Council for a decision.

You may request the opportunity to speak a Council meeting by completing a Delegation Request Form (PDF).

Note: A delegation request form is not necessary in order to speak at a public hearing. 

What is the Process? How do I Apply?

  1. Submit the Delegation Request Form (PDF) to the Municipal Clerk no later than noon on the Monday preceding the regular Council meeting at which you would like to appear. Delegations may be limited to two per meeting, and are accepted on a first come. first served basis, so the earlier you submit your request the better.
  2. Information on council meeting schedules can be found.
  3. You may forward your request by:
    • email: Email Municipal Clerk
    • fax: 403.762.1260
    • mail or hand deliver: Town of Banff, Box 1260, 110 Bear Street, Banff AB, T1L 1A1
  4. Your request will be directed to the Mayor for approval and scheduling. Not all delegation requests will be approved. In some cases your request may be directed to a Council Committee or to staff. Delegations are scheduled at the discretion of the Mayor, subject to:
    • the volume of material on any given agenda
    • the number of requests for a specific meetings date and urgency of request
    • subject matter
  5. The Municipal Clerk will contact you with the decision of the Mayor, If your request is approved, you will be provided with further details including the meeting time and date. Meeting proceedings, presentation materials and equipment can be discussed at this time.

Note: the Delegation Request form and related documents become part of the public record and will be
 released/published in the agenda and minutes that are available to the public in a variety of methods.

Tips for a successful presentation:

Submit written information early

Deadline: Noon Monday prior to the meeting.

Meeting agenda packages are distributed on the Wednesday afternoon preceding the meeting so that Council has time to thoroughly review their information and prepare questions before the meeting. Provide a copy of your presentation by the Monday morning one week prior to the meeting, to the Municipal Clerk.

Structure your presentation

You have a maximum of five minutes to speak.

Introduce yourself and briefly describe your relationship to the issue. For example, you may be representing a group or you may live in or near an area where a problem is occurring.

  1. State your topic. If you are requesting action to address a certain issue, describe the issue and the action you wish Council to take. If you are requesting funding, state the amount and purpose of funding.
  2. Provide background information when appropriate. For instance, you may want to talk about how long the issue has been going on or how you or your organization has been affected. For funding requests, it is a good idea to provide your budget information and other revenue you have or are pursuing.
  3. Set up for success. You may book a projector or laptop to assist with your presentation. Please book with the Municipal Clerk prior to the meeting.

If you are asking for funding or to solve a problem, Council will base their decision on value for the community, available budget and/or available staffing. Some things to consider are: 

  1. Do you have support from a sector of the community? With limited resources available, Council is likely to concentrate on issues with a broad appeal.
  2. Does your request fit in with our strategic priorities? If it does, there may be some room in the budget and staff allocation to accommodate your request.
  3. Can your request wait? Council makes plans for the upcoming year in the fall. They start with a strategic planning session, and then move on to setting the budget. If your request should be addressed in the upcoming year, Council could include it in the strategic plan and budget.