Agenda item

8.1

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and seconded by Councillor Dianne Hurst, that approval be given to the recommendations in the report of the Director of Legal and Governance now submitted, regarding the format of the meeting of the Council meetings to be held on Wednesdays, 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021.

8.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, as an amendment, that the recommendations in the report of the Director of Legal and Governance in relation to the format of the Council meetings on 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021, be approved with the following changes:-

1.       the deletion in paragraph 1 of all of the words after the words “Agree that the ordinary meetings of the Council to be held on 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021, will include Public Questions and Petitions, and Members Questions”, and the addition of the following words at the end of that paragraph as follows:-

“and a Notice of Motion from each group represented on the Council.”

2.       the deletion of paragraph 2.

8.3

It was then moved by Councillor Paul Turpin, seconded by Councillor Angela Argenzio, as an amendment, that the recommendations in the report of the Director of Legal and Governance in relation to the format of the Council meetings on 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021, be approved with the following changes:-

1.       the deletion in paragraph 1 of all of the words after the words “Agree that the ordinary meetings of the Council to be held on 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021, will include Public Questions and Petitions, and Members Questions”;

2.       the addition of new paragraphs 2 and 3 as follows:-

2.       agrees that the time limit for Members’ Questions at those meetings be extended to a period of up to one hour to allow for scrutiny of the Executive; and

3.       believes that debate is vital for democracy and accountability and therefore agrees to include at least one Notice of Motion on topical local issues from each group at each of those Council meetings.

3.       the deletion of the original paragraph 2.

8.4

After contributions from five other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Julie Dore, the amendment moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed was put to the vote and was negatived.

8.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Paul Turpin was then put to the vote and was also negatived.

8.6

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried as follows:-

RESOLVED: That:-

(a)      it be agreed that the ordinary meetings of the Council to be held on 4^th November and 2^nd December 2020 and 3^rd February 2021 will include Public Questions and Petitions, and Members Questions, but that Notices of Motion are not to be a feature of those meetings and that, instead, an update will be provided to Council on Covid-related topical subjects; and

(b)      in order to implement the changes proposed in paragraph (a) above, approval be given to the temporary revision to the Council Procedure Rules within Part 4 of the Constitution, as set out in the report, which (via suspension of Council Procedure Rule 4.1) is to apply for those three ordinary meetings.