Agenda item

That this Council:-

(a)       notes the low turnout at the recent local elections for Sheffield City Council with just 32.77%, less than 1 in 3 of those registered, actually voting;

(b)       believes that inaccessibility and lack of transparency in Council matters is partly responsible for this apathy;

(c)        believes that the timing of meetings such as Full Council and Scrutiny Committees during normal working hours makes it difficult for many members of the public to attend;

(d)       believes that every effort should be made to increase access to and transparency of the decision making processes of Sheffield City Council;

(e)       believes that the audio of the debates and decision making parts of Full Council meetings should be made available through electronic media;

(f)         believes that the Council should be open to allowing recordings of such proceedings by members of the general public;

(g)       believes that after an initial evaluation, further council meetings that are open to the public should be made similarly accessible; and

(h)        therefore instructs the Chief Executive to bring forward plans to enable audio of Full Council meetings to be made available through electronic media, including the Council's website.

It was moved by Councillor Robert Murphy, seconded by Councillor Jillian Creasy, that this Council:-

(a)       notes the low turnout at the recent local elections for Sheffield City Council with just 32.77%, less than 1 in 3 of those registered, actually voting;

(b)       believes that inaccessibility and lack of transparency in Council matters is partly responsible for this apathy;

(c)        believes that the timing of meetings such as Full Council and Scrutiny Committees during normal working hours makes it difficult for many members of the public to attend;

(d)       believes that every effort should be made to increase access to and transparency of the decision making processes of Sheffield City Council;

(e)       believes that the audio of the debates and decision making parts of Full Council meetings should be made available through electronic media;

(f)         believes that the Council should be open to allowing recordings of such proceedings by members of the general public;

(g)       believes that after an initial evaluation, further council meetings that are open to the public should be made similarly accessible; and

(h)        therefore instructs the Chief Executive to bring forward plans to enable audio of Full Council meetings to be made available through electronic media, including the Council's website.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, seconded by Councillor Joe Otten, as an amendment , that the Motion now submitted be amended by the insertion of the words “provided the cost can be met within existing budgets” at the end of paragraph (e).

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

It was then moved by Councillor Julie Dore, seconded by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (h) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (g) as follows:-

(b)       believes that apathy and low voter turnout in elections are complex long term national trends and the Council attempts to address this locally by improving accessibility and engaging with local people;

(c)        welcomes action by the present Administration to engage with local people through writing to every household in Sheffield to consult on the 2012/13 budget and introducing the new Meet the Cabinet initiative;

(d)       notes that other councils across the country webcast meetings on the internet and that upon investigation into webcasting by the cross party Modernisation Working Group, it was considered to be costly, with set-up costs around £100,000 and annual costs between £21,000 and £48,000 and evidence from other authorities indicating that viewing figures are very low;

(e)       notes that when the issue was considered by the cross party Modernisation Working Group, it was decided not to progress with webcasting due to the costs involved;

(f)         therefore believes that there are better and more cost effective ways of engaging with local people and encouraging their involvement in decision making processes; and

(g)       requests the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council,  to bring forward a wide range of plans to improve how the Council engages with local people.

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       notes the low turnout at the recent local elections for Sheffield City Council with just 32.77%, less than 1 in 3 of those registered, actually voting;

(b)       believes that apathy and low voter turnout in elections are complex long term national trends and the Council attempts to address this locally by improving accessibility and engaging with local people;

(c)        welcomes action by the present Administration to engage with local people through writing to every household in Sheffield to consult on the 2012/13 budget and introducing the new Meet the Cabinet initiative;

(d)       notes that other councils across the country webcast meetings on the internet and that upon investigation into webcasting by the cross party Modernisation Working Group, it was considered to be costly, with set-up costs around £100,000 and annual costs between £21,000 and £48,000 and evidence from other authorities indicating that viewing figures are very low;

(e)       notes that when the issue was considered by the cross party Modernisation Working Group, it was decided not to progress with webcasting due to the costs involved;

(f)         therefore believes that there are better and more cost effective ways of engaging with local people and encouraging their involvement in decision making processes; and

(g)       requests the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council,  to bring forward a wide range of plans to improve how the Council engages with local people.

(Note: 1.The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Vickie Priestley) and Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Clive Skelton, Shaffaq Mohammed, Rob Frost, Colin Ross, Joe Otten, Penny Baker, Diana Stimely, Roger Davison, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Janice Sidebottom, Denise Reaney, Ian Auckland, Bob McCann, Anders Hanson, Katie Condliffe, David Baker, Alison Brelsford and Trevor Bagshaw voted for paragraphs (a) (b) (d) (e) and (g) and against paragraphs (c) and (f) of the above Motion and asked for this to be recorded.

2. Councillors Jillian Creasy and Robert Murphy voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) to (g) and abstained on paragraph (c) of the Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)