Issue - meetings

To review the arrangements for public and Member questions and speaking at Meetings.

Consideration was given to reviewing the arrangements for public and Member questions and speaking at meetings.  Cabinet was requested to make its recommendations to the Governance and Constitution Committee which would then consider what constitutional change recommendations it might wish to make to Council.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the Governance and Constitution Committee be informed that the views of the Cabinet in relation to Public and member questions are as follows:

1. That the existing Planning and Licensing Protocols which override the member and public speaking and questioning provisions that apply to other committees, should be retained;

2. That the facility to allow questions by Members of the Public at meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees should be removed, but a period of 15 minutes be provided at the beginning of meetings to allow members of the Public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the relevant committee, subject to individual speakers being restricted to 5 minutes each;

3. That whilst acknowledging that Planning and Licensing Committees have separate arrangements in place for public involvement, in all other cases, members of the Public should provide 3 clear working days notice, in writing, if they wish to ask a question at any other decision making meeting, in order for an informed answer to be given, but they should not be required to give notice of intention to make use of public speaking provision (although as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice should be encouraged);

4. That members of the Council should, in accordance with the current rules, be required to provide 3 clear working days notice in writing if they wish to ask a question at a full Council meeting or Cabinet in order for an informed answer to be given;

5. That the existing provisions of the constitution relating to the way in which questions may be answered be preserved.