Agenda item

From Councillor Mike Williams

I move that the Constitution and Accounts Committee seek to change the Constitution with regards to notices of motion at meetings of this council.  I move that no more than two notices of motion be debated at any single Council meeting and that because of time constraints, no notices of motion be allowed at the annual budget meeting.  I also move that no member be allowed to submit more than one notice of motion at any meeting of the council.

Decision

That the Constitution and Accounts Committee recommends that the Constitution be amended to incorporate the following:

(1)                          That no notices of motion be allowed at the annual budget meeting;

(2)                          That no member be allowed to submit more than one notice of motion at any meeting of the Council; 

(3)                          That a guillotine be imposed after 30 minutes with a five minute warning given for the original motion or the original motion as amended to be put and a vote taken;

(4)                          That no more that two notices of motion be debated at any single Council meeting;

(5)                          That at the annual council meeting members are selected to present motions to the Council for a trial period of twelve months (as per the above rules). Those members to be drawn randomly from a “hat”.  The hat to contain only those members who wish their names to be included.  Once a member has been drawn their name is not returned to the “hat”.

(6)                          If for any reason the member chosen to put the motion is unable to do so no substitute to be allowed.

(7)                          That the Constitution be amended in order that motions can be rejected if they are frivolous, vexatious, inflammatory or if they are substantially similar to any discussed at Council within the last six months.

Members had been circulated with a motion that had been put by Councillor Mike Williams referred to the Committee from the Council meeting held on 19th April 2007.  The Service Manager Democracy referred to the amendment which had been made at the Council meeting which included a guillotine.   The full decision from the Council read:

(1)      The Constitution Committee seek to change the Constitution with regards to notices of motion at meetings of this Council;

(2)      That no more than two notices of motion be debated at any single Council meeting with provision for the operation of a guillotine on such debates, and that because of time constraints, no notices of motion be allowed at the annual budget meeting;

(3)      No member be allowed to submit more than one notice of motion at any meeting of the Council.

A lengthy discussion ensued covering all aspects of the motion with various suggestions and proposals being put forward.  Members agreed that no motions should be discussed at the budget meeting.   The number of motions per member was then discussed and the issue of urgency.  It was agreed that only one motion per member be allowed.  The issue of the guillotine was then discussed and how this would work.  It was agreed that the guillotine would come into force after 30 minutes and that a five minute warning be given before the end of the 30 minutes to enable the original motion or the motion as amended to be put to the Council and a vote taken.   The importance of motions and being protective of minority groups and other items such as policy development were then discussed and it was moved that four motions be put, but this proposal did not receive a seconder.  Two motions were then voted on and this was agreed.  Councillor Hurst asked for his vote against this proposal to be recorded.   The issue of how to decide on which motions were put forward was discussed at length.  Options discussed included the Chief Executive being delegated or the Strategic Directors being delegated both these options would mean that the motions would be dealt with on a time received basis.  However this was not favourable with the Committee.   Councillor Hurst proposed that the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman of the Council make a decision having consulted with the group leaders, however this did not receive a seconder.  The option of the Council deciding which motion was then discussed with various means of how to carry this out discussed from written motions circulated at the beginning of meetings to electronic voting taking place.  It was suggested that a random means of selection would be for each member’s name to be put in a “hat” and the name of two members being drawn out.  Members agreed with this suggestion and it was proposed that this be carried out at the annual council meeting for a trial period of twelve months.  Those members who did not wish their names to be included were withdrawn from the hat before a selection was made.  Members agreed with this proposal.  The issue of substitutes was then discussed it was proposed that no substitutes be allowed; on being put to the vote this was agreed.  Councillor Hurst asked that his vote against this proposal was recorded.

The Chief Executive asked the Committee that reference be made within the Constitution to reject motions if they were frivolous, vexatious, inflammatory or if they were substantially similar to any discussed at Council within the last six months.  The Committee were in favour of this being included within the Constitution.