In accordance with notice duly given under Procedure Rule 4, Councillor M W Helm to move the following Motion duly seconded by Councillor A S Fluker:
“Motion One:
To prevent Filibustering the 15 minutes allocated for Questions to the Leader applies only to the time taken by the member to ask questions and not the time taken for a reply to be made.
Motion Two:
In the best interest of public understanding the policy of the administration, if the Leader of the Council is unable to answer a question put to them during Questions to the Leader, the Leader should not defer, but provide a written response to Council.
Motion Three:
That an item Questions to the Leader, is included on the agenda of all Council meetings.”
Minutes:
In accordance with Procedure Rule 4, the Chairman advised that three motions proposed by Councillor M W Helm and seconded by Councillor A S Fluker had been received.
Councillor Helm read out his Motions (as set out below):
“Motion One:
To prevent Filibustering the 15 minutes allocated for Questions to the Leader applies only to the time taken by the member to ask questions and not the time taken for a reply to be made.
Motion Two:
In the best interest of public understanding the policy of the administration, if the Leader of the Council is unable to answer a question put to them during Questions to the Leader, the Leader should not defer, but provide a written response to Council.
Motion Three:
That an item Questions to the Leader, is included on the agenda of all Council meetings.”
Members discussed the three motions and a number of comments were made.
Councillor C Morris proposed an amendment that each motion was voted on individually.
In response to some comments made by Councillor Morris, Councillor Mrs P A Channer raised a Point of Order advising that the comments were offensive and should not be made in this forum. In response to a question from the Chairman, Councillor Morris advised he would not withdraw his comments.
Further debate ensued.
In response to a question as to whether the Motions, if agreed, resulted in a change to the Constitution, the Lead Legal Specialist and Monitoring Officer provided Members with some explanation and advised that they would not physically change the Constitution.
Councillor Fluker, as the seconder to the Motions provided the Council with further clarification in respect of each Motion.
At this point Councillor V J Bell seconded the proposal by Councillor Morris to take each motion separately.
In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) Councillor M W Helm requested a recorded vote. This was duly seconded.
The Lead Legal Specialist and Monitoring Officer advised the Council that an amendment was not required to take each Motion separately as they were separate Motions so would be voted on individually under normal procedure.
The Chairman then put Motion One as set out above to the Council and the voting was as follows:
For the recommendation:
Councillors Mis A M Beale, B S Beale, Mrs P A Channer, M F L Durham, Mrs J L Fleming, A S Fluker, M W Helm, B B Heubner, A L Hull, J V Keyes, C P Morley, C Morris and Mrs M E Thompson.
Against the recommendation:
Councillors M G Bassenger, V J Bell, M R Edwards, M S Heard, K W Jarvis, K M H Lagan, C Mayes, S P Nunn, N G F Shaughnessy, R H Siddall, N J Skeens, W Stamp, E L Stephens, Mrs J C Stilts and C Swain.
Abstention:
There were none.
The Chairman then put Motion Two as set out above to the Council and the voting was as follows:
For the recommendation:
Councillors Mis A M Beale, Mrs P A Channer, M F L Durham, Mrs J L Fleming, A S Fluker, M W Helm, B B Heubner, A L Hull, J V Keyes, C P Morley and Mrs M E Thompson.
Against the recommendation:
Councillors M G Bassenger, B S Beale, V J Bell, M R Edwards, M S Heard, K W Jarvis, K M H Lagan, C Mayes, C Morris, S P Nunn, N G F Shaughnessy, R H Siddall, N J Skeens, W Stamp, E L Stephens, Mrs J C Stilts and C Swain.
Abstention:
There were none.
The Chairman then put Motion Three as set out above to the Council and the voting was as follows:
For the recommendation:
Councillors Mis A M Beale, Mrs P A Channer, M F L Durham, Mrs J L Fleming, A S Fluker, M W Helm, B B Heubner, A L Hull, J V Keyes, C P Morley, C Morris and Mrs M E Thompson.
Against the recommendation:
Councillors M G Bassenger, B S Beale, V J Bell, M R Edwards, M S Heard, K W Jarvis, K M H Lagan, C Mayes, S P Nunn, N G F Shaughnessy, R H Siddall, N J Skeens, W Stamp, E L Stephens, Mrs J C Stilts and C Swain.
Abstention:
There were none.
The Chairman declared that therefore all three Motions were lost.