Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Paid Service setting out options for amendments to the council’s Council Procedure Rules, which form part of the Constitution.

45.1                Council considered the report of the Head of Paid Service which proposed options for amendments to the Council’s Procedure Rules which form part of the Council’s Constitution.

45.2                Councillor Williams (Chair of the General Purposes Committee) stated that the Committee had considered that the changes would make full meetings of the Council more efficient and focussed.

45.3                Councillor Stephens proposed the following amendment to the recommendation in the report which had been circulated.

(6)       that a formal deadline of two hours 12 noon midday prior to the start of the meeting be introduced for the submission of amendments to Notices of Motion (Rule 15.06) and amendments to be circulated at the start of debate on the motion to which the amendment relates to the Group Leaders no later than 3.00pm on the day of the meeting to enable the political Groups to determine their stance on the amendment prior to the commencement of the meeting.

45.4                The amendment was seconded and was accepted by the proposer and seconder of the original motion.

45.5                Councillor Hilton stated that Members must have the ability to move minor amendments from the floor. The Mayor noted that such amendments could be accepted at the Mayor’s discretion.

45.6                Councillor Stephens that the proposed change to the start time of Council meetings would create difficulty for Members with work commitments. He noted that committees start at an earlier time but those Members could avoid sitting on those committees. He also noted that the Mayor could control council meetings and Members could move that the vote be put.

45.7                Councillor Lugg noted that Planning Committee started at 6.00pm as historically the business of the meeting took longer to complete. She was opposed to the earlier start time as people suffering with diabetes had to ensure that they had regular meals.

45.8                Councillor H. Norman noted that Budget Council started at 6.00pm so only five ordinary meetings of Council would be affected by the proposed change.

45.9                RESOLVED that

(1)               the start time for ordinary meetings of Council be changed to 6.30pm (Rule 5).

(2)               the length of Council meetings be limited to three hours unless extended by resolution of the meeting, with a two-thirds majority of those in attendance required to close the meeting (Rule 6).

(3)               with the exception of the proposer and seconder of a motion or an amendment, speech times be limited to three minutes. This does not apply to debate on the annual budget (Rule 15.04).

(4)               a time limit of ten minutes be introduced for Announcements (Rule 2.02).

(5)               a ‘callover’ be added to the order of business for ordinary meetings of Council (Rule 2.02).

(6)               a formal deadline of 12 noon prior to the start of the meeting be introduced for the submission of amendments to Notices of Motion (Rule 15.06) and amendments to be circulated to the Group Leaders no later than 3.00pm on the day of the meeting to enable the political groups to determine their stance on the amendment prior to the commencement of the meeting.