Issue - meetings

To consider a Motion regarding Member consultation when making changes to the arrangements for scheduled committee meetings.

The Committee considered the following motion, proposed by Councillor

D Brickhill and seconded by Councillor P Edwards, which had been referred by Council to the Committee for consideration:

“That meetings set out in the Council diary shall not be changed either by timing or location unless:

All Members have been consulted and there is no relevant business in which case the meeting is cancelled.

All Members are consulted and more than 60 agree to the change.”

Councillor Brickhill attended the meeting and spoke in relation to the motion.

The Committee procedure rules currently provided that where it was necessary to cancel or change the arrangements for a scheduled meeting, the chairman of the committee in question could agree this following consultation with the relevant group spokesmen on the committee. Any such changes would then be notified to all members of the Council.

The introduction of a procedure whereby all Members of the Council had to be consulted before a committee meeting could be changed or cancelled, and which would require more than 60 Members to agree any such change, would make the operation of the Council’s committee system unwieldy, cumbersome and unresponsive to any genuine need for change. Members felt, however, that it would be reasonable and appropriate for all members of the committee concerned to be consulted. It was also felt that any cancellation should allow sufficient time for public notice to be given.

RESOLVED

That Council be recommended to approve a change to the Committee Procedure Rules to provide that a scheduled meeting of a decision-making body may be cancelled or changed by the Chairman following consultation with the whole membership of that body, provided that such cancellation or change takes place at least five clear working days before the scheduled date of the meeting to enable sufficient public notice to be given.