Issue - meetings

To consider a report on the current rules relating to questions at Council. 

At the Chairman’s request, the Committee reviewed the current arrangements with regard to questions by Members at Council meetings.

After nearly eight months of operation of the Council Procedure Rules relating to Members’ questions at Council meetings, and three meetings of Council during which these Rules had been put into practice, there was an opportunity for the Committee to consider whether the Rules were working effectively or were in need of change.

The current Rules provided for Members to ask questions at Council of the Mayor, the appropriate Cabinet Member, or the Chairman of a Committee, about a matter for which the Council, the Cabinet or the Committee had powers, duties or responsibilities (Council Procedure Rule 11.1). Questions must be provided in writing at least three clear working days before the meeting (Council Procedure Rule 11.3).

The Rules provided for the questioner to ask a supplementary question which related to the initial answer. 

RESOLVED

That Council be recommended to agree that the provision giving Members the right to ask supplementary questions at Council meetings be removed from the Constitution.

Note: in accordance with Paragraph 31.4 of the Committee Procedure Rules, Councillors R Cartlidge and S Jones asked that the minutes of the meeting record their having voted against the motion.