100 MC/19/41 PROPOSED CHANGES TO COUNCIL MEETING DATES 2020-21 PDF 253 KB
Leader of the Council
Minutes:
100.1 The Chair invited the Leader to introduce the report and to move the recommendations.
100.2 Councillor Morley, Leader of the Council, explained that two dates had been removed from the meeting calendar, as all Council business could be achieved within the remaining meetings.
100.3 Councillor Morley MOVED recommendation 2.1 in the report, which was SECONDED by Councillor Richardson.
100.4 Councillor Eburne was concerned by the reduction in the number of meetings and that there would be more of a democratic deficit in the District. She also asked why more meetings were not conducted in the community to enable residents to attend.
100.5 Councillor Morley responded that it was her personal opinion that the democratic requirements were best served by having the meetings in the Council Chamber, which allowed for live streaming and could be viewed on YouTube by residents.
100.6 Councillor Stringer was concerned that less Council meetings reduced the opportunity for Members to hold the administration to account.
100.7 Councillor Mansel could not support the paper as no reason was provided for the removal of meetings.
100.8 The recommendation was put to Members for voting and the vote was CARRIED.
It was RESOLVED: -
That the changes to Council meetings detailed in paragraph 3.1 of the report be approved.
215 BC/19/38 PROPOSED CHANGES TO COUNCIL MEETING DATES 2020-21 PDF 253 KB
Leader of the Council
Minutes:
215.1 The Chair invited Councillor Ward to introduce Paper BC/19/38 and move the recommendation in the report.
215.2 Councillor Ward, the Leader, explained the reasons for the proposed changes to the number of Council Meetings. Council meetings would be held every two months, with an additional meeting in February for the budget. If necessary additional meetings could be held.
215.3 Councillor Ward MOVED recommendation 2.1 in the report which was SECONDED by Councillor Beer.
215.4 Councillor Hinton was concerned that the reduction of Full Council meetings would not be compliant with the open and transparent clauses within the constitution and the corporate strategies.
215.5 Councillor Ward responded that there would only be a reduction of two meetings and added that Cabinet, Overview and Scrutiny, Joint Audit and Standard meetings were all open to Members and members of the public.
215.6 Councillor McCraw said that he could not support this, and he would rather that the eight-meeting schedule remain in place and then cancel those which were not required. He felt that Council was a show piece and that the public expected it.
215.7 Councillor Davis queried the the financial and the environment implications in the report and that these would not be affected by the proposed change to Council meetings. He disagreed, because there would be a reduction in cost for meetings and a reduction of trips to Ipswich for Members to attend the meetings. He reminded Members that the Council had made a pledge to be more environmentally friendly.
215.8 Councillor Hurren felt that this would affect the current processes and he would rather maintain the current schedule.
215.9 Councillor Parker thought that the proposed reduction in meetings was small and he failed to see the benefits.
215.10 Councillor Malvisi supported the proposed recommendations as less meetings would mean a reduction in paper and car journeys.
215.11 In response to Councillor Maybury’s questions regarding the six-month rules for attending Council meetings, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that this was a statutory requirement and would remain in place unless a Councillor had been granted dispensation for attendance in accordance with a set number of rules.
215.12 Councillor Cresswell thought that since many of the Council’s meetings were during the day, maintaining evening meetings for all Members to attend would benefit those, who were working, and he felt that any changes would be unbeneficial.
215.13 Councillor Busby added that full Council meetings were a space in which Members could debate the decisions coming forward and allow those, who did not attend Cabinet meetings regularly, to voice the opinions of their Wards.
215.14 Councillor McCraw thought that regular evening meetings benefitted all Members, but especially those who were not part of any Committee and he asked that Councillor Ward reconsider the Motion
215.15 Councillor Ward responded that matters were considered by either Cabinet or Council in accordance with the Constitution and that the Cabinet meetings were alternating between morning and afternoon meetings.
215.16 In response to several Members questions of accessibility to Cabinet ... view the full minutes text for item 215