Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Standing Orders of the Council - amendments

Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order No 6

 

Note: In accordance with Standing Order No. 41 this item will only be considered if deferred from the Annual Council meeting held on the 17th May, 2019.

 

Proposer – Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE

 

Seconder – Councillor Andrews BEM

 

 

That the Standing Orders of the Council be amended to read as follows:

 

1.    Standing Order 11.

 

11. QUESTIONS

 

(1) A Member may:

 

(a)  In relation to the business of the Council ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board, any question that has been delivered in writing or alternatively by e mail  to the Director of Core Services  in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working days before the date of the meeting of the Council, where it will be dated, numbered in the order in which it was received, and entered in a book which will be open to the inspection of every Member

 

(b)  The Chief Executive will set out in the Summons for every meeting of the Council all questions received under paragraph (a) and not withdrawn in writing.

 

(c)  With the permission of the Mayor, ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or the Chairperson of any Regulatory Board any question relating to urgent business as approved by the Mayor under Standing Order 5, of which a copy has been delivered to the Executive Director Core Services

 

(2) (a) Every question will be read by the Chief Executive in the order in which they have been received in accordance with paragraph a) above  and answered without discussion provided that no reply shall exceed five minutes in length

 

b) The person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer or may ask another appropriate Chairperson or Spokesperson as he/she specifies to reply to such question.

 

c)  When a convenient reply cannot be given orally, a written answer may be circulated to all Members of the Council.

 

 

d) If following the expiry of a period of thirty minutes there remain any questions which have not been replied to orally such question shall be dealt with by way of a written answer circulated to all members of the Council

 

e) In the event that a question has been received from more than one political group represented on the Council or from any member of the Council who is not a member of a political group then the order in which such questions will be read out by the Chief Executive under paragraph a) shall be altered and shall be read out by way of rotation beginning with the relevant question first received

 

2. Standing Order 12

 

12. QUESTIONS RELATING TO JOINT AUTHORITIES OR THE POLICE AND CRIME PANEL

 

 

(3) The question must be delivered in writing to the Executive Director Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working day before the date of the Council Meeting

 

3. Standing Order 8

 

8. MOTIONS WHICH REQUIRE NOTICE TO BE GIVEN

 

 

(1)  The following motions may be moved on notice given in writing to the Chief Executive not later than one clear working day before the date of the meeting at which it is to be moved, and the Chief Executive or his/her representative will read the motion aloud prior to it being spoken to:

 

(a)  the withdrawal of recommendations or resolutions of Regulatory Boards, Scrutiny Committees or Area Councils as set out in the Council Summons, and adoption of recommendations or resolutions substituted therefore

;

(b) amendments to motions set out in the Council Summons unless the withdrawal or amendment is of a motion of which a copy has not been circulated with the Council Summons

 

Notice of amendment to motion – “Standing orders of the Council – amendments”

 

Proposer – Councillor Kitching

 

Seconder – Councillor Greenhough

 

This Council notes the amendments to the standing orders of the Council submitted by Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE.

 

It proposes further amendments to standing order 11, numbered i to iii, as are highlighted in bold in the text below.

 

11. QUESTIONS

 

(1) A Member may:

 

(a) In relation to the business of the Council ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board, any question that has been delivered in writing or alternatively by e mail to the Director of Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working days before the date of the meeting of the Council, where it will be dated, numbered in the order in which it was received, and entered in a book which will be open to the inspection of every Member

 

(b) The Chief Executive will set out in the Summons for every meeting of the Council all questions received under paragraph (a) and not withdrawn in writing.

 

(c) With the permission of the Mayor, ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or the Chairperson of any Regulatory Board any question relating to urgent business as approved by the Mayor under Standing Order 5, of which a copy has been delivered to the Executive Director Core Services.

 

Amendment (i)

 

(d) In relation to the business of the Council, a Member be permitted to ask the Mayor, or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson, or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board an urgent written question if the matter the subject of that question could not have been foreseen at the time of the deadline for the submission of questions.   In these circumstances, such questions should be delivered in writing or alternatively by email to the Executive Director Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than 5.00pm one clear working day before the date of the Council meeting

 

(2) (a) Every question will be read by the Chief Executive in the order in which they have been received in accordance with paragraph a) above and answered without discussion provided that no reply shall exceed five minutes in length.

 

b) The person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer or may ask another appropriate Chairperson or Spokesperson as he/she specifies to reply to such question.

 

c) When a convenient reply cannot be given orally, a written answer may be circulated to all Members of the Council.

 

Amendment (ii) in relation to supplementary questions:

 

(d) When an oral reply to a question asked under paragraph (1)(a) above has been given, the Member asking the question may, with the permission of the Mayor, ask one supplementary question of the same person. The answer to such a question will be dealt with as provided in paragraph (a) above.

 

Amendment (iii) Removal of paragraphs below:

 

(d)  If following the expiry of a period of thirty minutes there remain any questions which have not been replied to orally such question shall be dealt with by way of a written answer circulated to all members of the Council

(e)  In the event that a question has been received from more than one political group represented on the Council or from any member of the Council who is not a member of a political group then the order in which such questions will be read out by the Chief Executive under paragraph a) shall be altered and shall be read out by way of rotation beginning with the relevant question first received

 

 

No further amendments are proposed to standing orders 12 and 8.

Minutes:

A Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order No 6 proposing amendments to Standing Orders in relation to the timescales for the submission of ‘Questions by Councillors’ and the arrangements for dealing with them at Council meetings with having been deferred from the Annual Council meeting held on the 17th May, 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 41 was:

 

Moved by Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE – Seconded by Councillor Andrews BEM.

 

The following amendment was

 

Moved by Councillor Kitching – Seconded by Councillor Greenhough:

 

This Council notes the amendments to the Standing Orders of the Council submitted by Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE.

 

It proposes further amendments to standing order 11, numbered (i) to (iii), as are highlighted in bold below.

 

11. QUESTIONS

 

(1) A Member may:

 

(a) In relation to the business of the Council ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board, any question that has been delivered in writing or alternatively by e mail to the Director of Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working days before the date of the meeting of the Council, where it will be dated, numbered in the order in which it was received, and entered in a book which will be open to the inspection of every Member

 

(b) The Chief Executive will set out in the Summons for every meeting of the Council all questions received under paragraph (a) and not withdrawn in writing.

 

(c) With the permission of the Mayor, ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or the Chairperson of any Regulatory Board any question relating to urgent business as approved by the Mayor under Standing Order 5, of which a copy has been delivered to the Executive Director Core Services.

 

Amendment (i)

 

(d) In relation to the business of the Council, a Member be permitted to ask the Mayor, or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson, or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board an urgent written question if the matter the subject of that question could not have been foreseen at the time of the deadline for the submission of questions.   In these circumstances, such questions should be delivered in writing or alternatively by email to the Executive Director Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than 5.00pm one clear working day before the date of the Council meeting

 

(2) (a) Every question will be read by the Chief Executive in the order in which they have been received in accordance with paragraph a) above and answered without discussion provided that no reply shall exceed five minutes in length.

 

(b) The person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer or may ask another appropriate Chairperson or Spokesperson as he/she specifies to reply to such question.

 

(c) When a convenient reply cannot be given orally, a written answer may be circulated to all Members of the Council.

 

Amendment (ii) in relation to supplementary questions:

 

(d) When an oral reply to a question asked under paragraph (1)(a) above has been given, the Member asking the question may, with the permission of the Mayor, ask one supplementary question of the same person. The answer to such a question will be dealt with as provided in paragraph (a) above.

 

Amendment (iii) Removal of paragraphs below:

 

(a)  If following the expiry of a period of thirty minutes there remain any questions which have not been replied to orally such question shall be dealt with by way of a written answer circulated to all members of the Council

(b)  In the event that a question has been received from more than one political group represented on the Council or from any member of the Council who is not a member of a political group then the order in which such questions will be read out by the Chief Executive under paragraph a) shall be altered and shall be read out by way of rotation beginning with the relevant question first received

 

That no further amendments be made to Standing Orders * and 12.

 

A request by Councillor Hunt for a recorded vote in accordance with Standing Order 18(b) was not supported by 10 other Member.

 

Upon being put to the vote, the Amendment was lost.

 

The original Motion was then put as the Substantive Motion and:

 

RESOLVED That the Standing Orders of the Council be amended to read as follows:

 

1.    Standing Order 11.

 

11. QUESTIONS

 

(1) A Member may:

 

(a)  In relation to the business of the Council ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or Chairperson of any Regulatory Board, any question that has been delivered in writing or alternatively by e mail  to the Director of Core Services  in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working days before the date of the meeting of the Council, where it will be dated, numbered in the order in which it was received, and entered in a book which will be open to the inspection of every Member

 

(b)  The Chief Executive will set out in the Summons for every meeting of the Council all questions received under paragraph (a) and not withdrawn in writing.

 

(c)  With the permission of the Mayor, ask the Mayor or the appropriate Cabinet Spokesperson or the Chairperson of any Regulatory Board any question relating to urgent business as approved by the Mayor under Standing Order 5, of which a copy has been delivered to the Executive Director Core Services

 

(2) (a) Every question will be read by the Chief Executive in the order in which they have been received in accordance with paragraph a) above  and answered without discussion provided that no reply shall exceed five minutes in length

 

(b) The person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer or may ask another appropriate Chairperson or Spokesperson as he/she specifies to reply to such question.

 

(c)  When a convenient reply cannot be given orally, a written answer may be circulated to all Members of the Council.

 

 

(d) If following the expiry of a period of thirty minutes there remain any questions which have not been replied to orally such question shall be dealt with by way of a written answer circulated to all members of the Council

 

(e) In the event that a question has been received from more than one political group represented on the Council or from any member of the Council who is not a member of a political group then the order in which such questions will be read out by the Chief Executive under paragraph a) shall be altered and shall be read out by way of rotation beginning with the relevant question first received

 

2. Standing Order 12

 

12. QUESTIONS RELATING TO JOINT AUTHORITIES OR THE POLICE AND CRIME PANEL

 

 

(3) The question must be delivered in writing to the Executive Director Core Services in the Council Governance Unit in the Town Hall not later than six clear working day before the date of the Council Meeting

 

3. Standing Order 8

 

8. MOTIONS WHICH REQUIRE NOTICE TO BE GIVEN

 

 

(1)  The following motions may be moved on notice given in writing to the Chief Executive not later than one clear working day before the date of the meeting at which it is to be moved, and the Chief Executive or his/her representative will read the motion aloud prior to it being spoken to:

 

(a)  the withdrawal of recommendations or resolutions of Regulatory Boards, Scrutiny Committees or Area Councils as set out in the Council Summons, and adoption of recommendations or resolutions substituted therefore

 

(b) amendments to motions set out in the Council Summons unless the withdrawal or amendment is of a motion of which a copy has not been circulated with the Council Summons

 

 

 

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