Agenda item

Reports to follow.

Members received a verbal report on the proposed amendments to the constitution. The committee heard that full council had not completed all business on the agenda for the past six years. In the past two years members had submitted over five hundred written questions with the quantity of questions rising per meeting. The time taken to for officers to draft replies to technical questions equated to 144 days of work if spread throughout the year. On most occasions reports from members on the full council agenda had not been reached due of the surplus of questions. Members discussed holding an extra Full Council meeting to focus on questions asked, however it was noted any councillor could request an extraordinary Full Council meeting however this had not been done.

Members queried whether officers or Lead Members were answering the questions to the Lead Members and Chairs of Committees. It was noted that technical questions were answered in draft by officers and approved by Lead Members, but questions of a political nature were left solely to Lead Members to respond to.

Concerns were raised that Lead Members did not respond to questions sent directly to them. Members discussed the variety of questions asked, it was noted that over 420 questions had been asked by the Conservative Group which was well in excess of the Labour Group and the Green Group. 7 of the question put forward to the Tuesday 8 July Full Council were repeat questions from February and December Full Council meetings.

The Committee discussed whether the limit to questions based on political party would be fair due to the Conservative Group having covered more wards than the other opposition parties. It was noted that the amendments were to bring consistency to all political groups.

Members expressed concern that the constitutional changes were not in keeping with other local authorities’ constitutions and would have become the most restrictive in regard to questions. Some members stated their displeasure at being restricted due to other party’s use of the constitutional arrangements however noted it would be appropriate to change the constitution. The abruptness of the report was queried by members and clarified that constitutional changes required approval from Full Council and had to be approved at Policy and Resources to be taken to Full Council.

Other issues faced in Full Council had been the amendments tabled in the middle of the meeting which had been proposed with no advance notice. Amendments are required to be in advance of the meeting, before 5pm however late amendments were allowed until 6pm on the day of the meeting.

Members raised the possibility of a constitution sub committee meeting to discuss ensuring the correct balance between questions, councillors and wards had been struck, however it was noted that the Constitution Sub Committee had been disbanded, and constitutional amendments would require agreement from Full Council. It was suggested an amendment to the structure of the agenda with questions to be set at the end of the agenda. Motions and other items to be moved to the top of the agenda.

Members queried the lack of debate in regard to petitions and it was clarified until a petition is presented, the subject matter is unknown to both councillors and officers and the Lead Member had responded and the procedure had always been the same. Should the petition had been included in the agenda, the petition would be debated but had the agenda not been included, the petition would not be debated as the relevant information is not known.

It was noted that members could make suggestions in conjunction with other groups to be put forward at full council.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Giles-Medhurst and Seconded by Councillor Price and put to the vote, with 9 votes in favour and 4 against, it was RESOLVED

That Policy and Resources Committee recommend to Full Council to approve the constitutional amendments as set out in paragraphs 3.4.1 to 3.4.19.

Petitions 18(1) be amended from Proper Officer to Monitoring Officer.