Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Governance.

1.         That Standing Order 6 of Part A Appendix 3 to the Constitution (and the relevant procedure rules at Part E) be suspended, with the right of the public to speak at Council meetings being removed and the procedure detailed at Paragraph 16 being implemented.

2.         That this suspension of standing orders and implementation of the temporary changes is to continue until further decision by the Council.

The Mayor advised he had changed the order of the agenda to take this item before the related item of Public Questions. 

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Alan Platt, presented the report of the Monitoring Officer. 

The purpose of the report was to agree to a temporary suspension of Standing Orders to reduce in scope the right of the public to speak at Full Council and Executive Cabinet meetings.

Whilst it was a requirement that meetings of the Council were held in public, there was no statutory right for the public to address the meeting.  At the meeting on 27 February last the meeting was disrupted when a member of the public abused their rights in the constitution, leading to the meeting being suspended and the police being called to clear the room.

Following a suggestion from Councillor Aidy Riggott it was acknowledged that this matter be considered by the Governance Committee at their first meeting in the new municipal year. 

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Alan Platt proposed the report and the Vice Chair of Governance Committee, Councillor Mark Clifford seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously)

1.         That Standing Order 6 of Part A Appendix 3 to the Constitution (and the relevant procedure rules at Part E) be suspended, with the right of the public to speak at Council meetings being removed and the procedure detailed below being implemented. 

Members of the public may ask one written question on any item on the Agenda for the Council meeting. This must be submitted to the Chief Executive by midday on the day, two working days before the day of the meeting.  A written response will be provided to the member of the public.  There will be no provision to ask a supplemental question and whilst the member of the public is permitted to attend the meeting there is no associated right to speak.

The written question and response will be available with the minutes of the meeting.

2.         That this suspension of standing orders and implementation of the temporary changes is to continue until further decision by the Council.