Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, - Swale House. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

Note: This meeting will consider outstanding items from the General Purposes Committee which was adjourned on Thursday 8 March 2018 

Items
No. Item

536.

Constitution Review (continued)

The agenda for the General Purposes Committee on 8 March 2018 can be viewed here:

 

http://services.swale.gov.uk/meetings/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=1979&Ver=4

 

 

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Members to the second part of the meeting.  He drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure, and asked Members if they had any interests to declare (there were none).

 

(E) Council Procedure Rules

 

The Committee discussed the items on the working paper, and agreed a number of recommendations to go forward to full Council.

 

Procedure Rule 3 – Scrutiny Update

 

Members considered that this item should remain, subject to the addition of the following words “Council is asked to note the Cabinet decision”.

 

Procedure Rule 14 – Questions by Members, and Public Participation Rules re Public Speaking

 

Members debated the current deadlines and whether there was sufficient time for answer to be prepared and agreed by the Cabinet Member, whilst recognising the need for questions to be relevant.  The deadline for public questions was also discussed, as was whether questions by Members and the public should be considered at the Budget Council meeting. 

 

Members agreed to recommend the following changes to the current system:

 

(1) That the deadline for Member questions should be brought forward by two working days, i.e. 4.30pm on the Monday the week before the meeting.  (Councillor Mike Baldock asked for his vote against this to be recorded).

 

(2) That the deadline for public questions should be brought forward by two working days, i.e. 4.30pm on the Wednesday before the meeting.  (Councillor Mike Baldock asked for his vote against this to be recorded).

 

(3) That the procedure for public questions should mirror the arrangements for Member questions, i.e. a three minute time limit (for each supplementary question and answer) and a maximum time limit of 30 minutes for the item.  (Councillor Mike Baldock asked for his vote against the proposal for a maximum time limit of 30 minutes to be recorded).

 

Procedure Rule 18 - Leader’s Statement

 

Members considered whether there should be a time limit at the Budget Council meeting but following discussion, they were happy with the current arrangements (i.e. no time limit).

 

Procedure Rule 19 - Voting

 

Members agreed to recommend that Council Procedure Rule 18 – Voting, should be updated to reflect that Members must be present in the room for the discussion in order to be able to vote at meetings of the Planning Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee, and Standards Sub-Committee meetings.

 

Disclosure of Lobbying

 

Members considered that this was not necessary, and so the current wording of the Agenda Front re disclosure of interests should remain unchanged.

 

(F) Matters referred by the Appointments Sub-Committee/Council

 

The Interim Deputy Head of Legal Partnership confirmed that track changes showed the proposed changes, and answered Members’ questions.

 

There was much discussion on the document, during which it was confirmed that reference to ‘chief officer’ should be removed from the document; that the referencing in section 2(3) to 1(a) – (c) should refer to section 2(1)(a) – (c); and that the spelling of the word ‘permanent’ in section 2(3) would be corrected.

 

In respect of section 2(3), Members asked that the last sentence should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 536.