Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Head of Paid Service concerning proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution.

To consider the report of the Head of Paid Service concerning proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution.

12.1    The Chair, Councillor Hilton, introduced the report and asked the Policy and Governance Manager to provide an overview of the each of the proposed changes for the General Purposes Committee to discuss in turn.

12.2    The Policy and Governance Manager referred to recommendation 2.1(1) concerning the Duration of Meetings. She noted that Members had experienced long Council meetings over recent months, and explained that the council currently had a Guillotine provision which allowed Members to determine whether the meeting should close after the 3-hour mark. Members were advised that under the current rules, should they vote to continue the meeting, there was no further opportunity to close the meeting at a later point. The Policy and Governance Manager stated that the new proposal would include a provision that should Members vote to continue the meeting beyond the 3-hour mark, there would be a maximum continuation of one hour. It was noted that this would provide a definite end to the meeting which would assist attendees who may have caring responsibilities.

12.3    In response to a query from the Chair regarding adjournments to meetings, the Policy and Governance Manager confirmed that adjournments were not included in meeting time and time was added on for any break in proceedings. It was agreed that this be highlighted in the report.

12.4    Councillor Lewis expressed his support for the proposal, stating that he felt that it was sensible and would assist with focusing Council meetings.

12.5    Councillor S. Chambers also noted her support for the proposal. She commented that effective decision making was significantly impaired by tiredness and impressed that in supporting the proposal, it should be noted that the purpose was to ensure the best use of decision-making time. She wondered whether the Committee ought to consider changing the order of agenda items and move the question items to the end of the agenda, to allow decision making business to take place earlier in the meeting.

12.6    Councillor Chambers-Dubus commented that the proposal was a good idea and noted that she was aware of Members within her group with caring responsibilities who would benefit from a definite finish time.

12.7    A discussion ensured around the possibility of the General Purposes Committee making a recommendation to amend the order of Council meeting agenda items to move question items to the end of the meeting. This suggestion was not carried forward.

12.8    In respect of recommendation 2.1(2), the Policy and Governance Manager advised that this proposal sought to respond to a request from Members from all political groups to return to oral questions without notice at full Council meetings. She explained that the proposal sought to reinstate the 30-minute time slot for Members to ask spontaneous oral questions to the Cabinet and to retain the current approach of giving priority to Group Leaders to ask two questions and supplementary questions each, followed by questions from Members. Members were informed that the report also proposed to reinstate oral questions without notice to Chairs of Meetings  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12