Issue - meetings

It was proposed by the Chairman and seconded by the Vice-Chairman:

“THAT the recommendation as set out at paragraph 3.1 of the report be adopted, namely:

‘That Council agrees that CPR 16.3 be amended as follows:

  ‘16.3  Putting the Motion at the Meeting

  The Member whose name appears first on the Notice will move the motion during his or her speech and call for a seconder. If seconded and  the mover of the motion is a member of a political group other than the ruling political group, the Chairman will call upon a member of the ruling political group to reply. If seconded and the mover of the motion is a member of the ruling political group, the Chairman will call upon a member of one of the other political groups to reply. In such circumstances the Chairman will call upon a member of the second largest political group unless, exceptionally and based upon the nature of the motion, the Chairman considers it appropriate to call upon a member of another political group (other than a member of the ruling political group) to reply. The motion shall then stand referred without further discussion to the Cabinet or appropriate Committee for determination or report unless the Council decides to debate the motion in accordance with Rule 19’”.

Upon being put to the vote, this motion was declared LOST.

It was NOTED that this item had been withdrawn Minute no. 56 above refers] by the Chairman for further consideration.

It was proposed by Councillor Watkins, seconded by Councillor K  Gregory, and AGREED TO RECOMMEND that CPR 16.3 be amended as follows:

“16.3  Putting the Motion at the Meeting

  The Member whose name appears first on the Notice will move the motion during his or her speech and call for a seconder. If seconded and  the mover of the motion is a member of a political group other than the ruling political group, the Chairman will call upon a member of the ruling political group to reply. If seconded and the mover of the motion is a member of the ruling political group, the Chairman will call upon a member of one of the other political groups to reply. In such circumstances the Chairman will call upon a member of the second largest political group unless, exceptionally and based upon the nature of the motion, the Chairman considers it appropriate to call upon a member of another political group (other than a member of the ruling political group) to reply. The motion shall then stand referred without further discussion to the Cabinet or appropriate Committee for determination or report unless the Council decides to debate the motion in accordance with Rule 19.”

It was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by the Leader:

“THAT the recommendations of the Standards Committee, as set out at paragraph 3.1 of the report be adopted, namely

a)  That the changes to Council Procedure Rules 14.5 and 16.4, as set out at Annex 1 to the report, be approved;

b)  That Overview & Scrutiny Procedure Rule 15.0 (a) be not changed.”

Amendment

An amendment was proposed by Councillor D Green, and seconded by Councillor Fenner:

“THAT the words,

‘unless the conduct relates to the Member acting as a Member of the Council’,

be added to the end of the amendments to Council Procedure Rules 14.5 and 16.4, as set out at Annex 1 to the report.

This amendment was ADOPTED.

Substantive Motion

The substantive motion was, subsequently, ADOPTED.

Report to follow

In speaking under Council Procedure Rule 24.1, Councillor King suggested that the preclusion of questions and motions on notice relating to the ethical conduct of Members might appear undemocratic and that Rule 16.3, as set out in Annex 1, should be further amended to extend the right of reply on motions on notice to other opposition political groups.

A Member expressed the view that if a motion related to a particular political group, a member of that group should be entitled to reply.

Harvey Patterson, Corporate & Regulatory Services Manager and Monitoring Officer, asked for time to reconsider proposal relating to the “putting of the motion” at the meeting.

Following discussion, it was, on the proposal of Councillor Hayton, seconded by Councillor Nicholson, AGREED TO RECOMMEND to the Standards Committee:

1.  That, with the exception of the change relating to Council Procedure Rule 16.3 (Putting the Motion at the Meeting)  the constitutional changes as set out at Annex 1 be approved;

2.  That the change to Rule 16.3 (Putting the Motion at the Meeting) be deferred for reconsideration and report to the next meeting of the Constitutional Review Working Party.