Agenda and draft minutes

To receive from Members, declarations of the existence of any disclosable pecuniary, or non-pecuniary, interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Agenda Notes.

8.1      There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2024.

9.1      RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th July 2024 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to the Chair provided that questions do not contravene the provisions set out Council Procedure Rule 10.01.

To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 1 November 2024 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

Questions and responses will be published at least 24 hours before the meeting. Supplementary questions may be put and answered during the meeting, subject to the relevant time limit.

10.1    There were no public questions.

The opportunity is given to members of the public to present a petition or deputation provided that any such petition or deputation does not contravene the provisions set out Council Procedure Rule 11.01.

To present a petition or deputation at this meeting, please provide the subject matter to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 1 November 2024 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

11.1    There were no petitions or deputations.

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.

To consider the report of the Returning Officer concerning an interim review of polling districts and polling places, following a Local Government Boundary Commission for England review of the Gloucestershire County Council division boundaries.

13.1    The Policy and Governance Manager introduced the report which followed the latest review of the Gloucestershire County Council County Divisions by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). She referred Members to Appendix 2 of the report which set out which polling districts would be in each County Division under the new changes once the order was approved, noting that the council did not have any control over those particular proposals.

13.2    Members were advised that as a result of the new County division boundaries, some polling districts would be moved into the same County division as the rest of the polling districts in that City Council Ward. The Policy and Governance Manager explained that the report proposed to merge polling districts in two respective locations where voters in those polling districts already voted in that location. The proposals were to merge polling district B4 and B2, and polling district P2 with P1. The Policy and Governance Manager emphasised that there would be no impact on voters or voting arrangements as a result of these changes.

13.3    The Policy and Governance Manager explained that one polling district, E1, needed to be split as a result of the new Division boundaries. She confirmed that the proposal was to add an additional polling station at the current E1 polling place to accommodate the new E4 polling district. She reassured Members again that there would be no impact on voters, and that this was purely an administrative change to facilitate the efficient running of elections.

13.4    Councillor S. Chambers confirmed that she was content with the proposals and noted that a wider consultation by the LGBCE on the proposals had taken place.

13.5    The Chair observed that through the new County Division changes, less City Council Wards would be divided.

13.6    Councillor A. Chambers thanked the Policy and Governance Manager for her work in preparing the report and for facilitating the efficient running of elections. The Chair echoed the sentiments.

13.7    The Policy and Governance Manager advised that due to a small error in the original order to pass the County Division Changes into law, the order needed to be re-laid. In the event that this resulted in the delaying of the publication of the electoral register following the annual canvass, Members were advised that the changes were included at Appendix 2.

13.8    RESOLVED that the General Purposes Committee RECOMMEND to Council that the proposals for the Interim Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places Review be approved.