Agenda item

(a)  Report of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(b)  Reports of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (if any); and

(c)  Reports of Overview and Scrutiny Panels -

(i)                  Constitution and Member Services Standing Panel – Council Meetings: Questions Without Notice from Members – to consider the attached report.

(a)          Report of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Council received a written report from Councillor Morgan, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(b)       Reports of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Chairman announced that there were no reports to be considered under this item.

(c)        Reports of Overview and Scrutiny Panels:

(i)         Report of the Constitution and Member Services Scrutiny Panel – Questions without Notice from Members at Council Meetings

Mover:  Councillor Philip, Chairman of the Panel

The Council considered proposals for dealing with questions without notice by Members at Council Meetings. The matter had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 April 2014.

First amendment moved by Councillor J H Whitehouse and seconded by Councillor J M Whitehouse

That provision be made to enable members to ask supplementary questions in respect of questions without notice.

Lost

Second amendment moved by Councillor G Waller and seconded by Councillor J Philip

That the words in recommendation (1)(a) “with the first 15 minutes giving priority to questions regarding written Portfolio Holder reports and priority during the second 15 minutes to questions on other matters” contained in the recommendations be deleted.

Carried

Report as amended ADOPTED

Resolved:

(1)       That the following changes be made to the procedure for dealing with questions without notice by members of the Council to the Leader of the Council, Cabinet members and the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

            (a)        the existing time limit for such questions be increased from 20 to 30 minutes;

            (b)        a new provision be added to the Council Procedure Rules that no supplementary questions be permitted in respect of questions without notice; and

            (c)        the following provisions of a Council Protocol approved in 2007 in respect of questions without notice being incorporated in the new revised Procedure Rules covering the following:

(i)         the Chairman’s discretion to extend the period for questions without notice by up to an additional ten minutes; and

                                                (ii)        Chairman to ensure that questions from all political groups and independent members are put;

(2)       That the revisions to the Council Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 3 to these minutes and shown in bold text (underlined) be approved and published as part of the Constitution.

(ii)        Report of the Constitution and Member Services Scrutiny Panel – Petitions Scheme - Review

Mover:  Councillor Philip, Chairman of the Panel

The Council considered proposals agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 April 2014.

Report as moved ADOPTED

Resolved:

(1)        That the redrafted Council Petitions Scheme attached as Appendix 4 to these minutes be adopted and incorporated into the Council’s Constitution; and

(2)       That the revised website information on petitions attached as Appendix 5 to these minutes be noted.