Decision details

Councillor W Stamp, Chairman of the Performance, Governance and Audit (PGA) Committee presented the three recommendations coming forward from her Committee to the Council.

Agenda Item 6 – Notice of Motion – Council Constitution and Scheme of Delegation

RESOLVED that the Council notes the position as now advised by Councillor K M H Lagan to withdraw his Motion and takes no further action on this Motion.

Agenda Item 7 – Notice of Motion – Council Constitution and Questions to the Leader

Councillor Stamp presented this Motion (as set out below) and referring to the recommendation from the PGA Committee proposed that it not be agreed.  This proposal was duly seconded.

Part 4 of the Rules of Procedure, Rule 1, 3 (m) be amended from:

(m)       Questions (which may be made without notice) to the Leader of the Council (or in his absence the Deputy Leader) (other than at the Annual Meeting, and at the meetings referred to in (h) above) for a maximum of 15 minutes and not beyond 10.00pm unless such period is extended with the mutual agreement of the Chairman of the Council and the Leader (or Deputy Leader).

to:

(m)       Questions (which may be made without notice) to the Leader of the Council (or in his absence the Deputy Leader) (other than at the Annual Meeting, and at the meetings referred to in (h) above) for a maximum of 15 minutes allocated to the asking of questions. Where the Leader or (Deputy Leader in their absence) is unable to answer a question, the answer will be given by a written response from the Leader to all members within 5 working days.

Councillor Fluker presented his motion which he advised was about allowing the right amount of time at Council meetings for spontaneous scrutiny of the Leader of the Council.  He then called on the Leader of the Council to change her mind and propose that the recommendation from the PGA Committee was not agreed and agree the Motion as tabled.  A brief debate ensued.

In response to a question regarding the debate of the Motion, the Chairman provided further clarification as to why these Motions were coming forward as recommendations from Committees.  He explained that the Monitoring Officer had prepared a report for the next meeting of the Corporate Governance Working Group to address the issue and make the constitution clear that once a motion is referred to a Committee it becomes the property of that Committee to resolve.

The Chairman moved the proposal and upon a vote being taken this was duly agreed.

RESOLVED that the Motion in the name of Councillor A S Fluker (as detailed above) not be agreed.

Agenda Item 14 – Notice of Motion – Referred by Statutory Annual Council

RESOLVED that the Council notes the position as now advised by Councillor A S Fluker to withdraw his Motion and takes no further action on this Motion.