Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services seeking permission to amend the Constitution in relation to the manner in which amendments to motions at Full Council are dealt with so that they can be dealt with in the same manner as when meetings were held remotely.

The report indicated that when Full Council meetings had been held remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a temporary process had been introduced whereby notice of an amendment to a motion was emailed to the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer no later than 4 pm on the day before the Full Council meeting using a template for submission and stating the names of the mover and seconder of the amendment.  If approved as a valid amendment, the notice of the amendment was circulated to all Members by email no later than 4 pm on the day of the Full Council meeting.  The report proposed that this process continue and be written into the Constitution.

Mr Richard Clegg, Principal Lawyer, presented the report and answered questions thereon.

Members indicated that they were disinclined to support the proposal which would remove the ability for amendments to motions to be moved during the debate on a motion and expressed the view that it would be wrong to stifle the cut and thrust of debate at Full Council meetings on efficiency grounds.

RESOLVED: That