This urgent Motion proposes a constitutional change to enable the publication of a record of voting at every meeting on the Council’s website to ensure the highest level of openness and transparency.
To consider the urgent Motion on Notice received from Councillor John Ward:
This administration has consistently pursued the use of technology to provide the public and press with an enhanced level of access and engagement in our meetings. This approach has been crucial during the covid-19 pandemic where we have maintained open, accountable and transparent democracy by fully embracing virtual meetings. Indeed, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils were the first Councils in Suffolk to hold fully virtual meetings open to the public. An extension to our use of technology in virtual meetings, is the adoption of e-voting to replace the lengthy and cumbersome process of roll call voting. Temporary alterations to the constitution to allow e-voting have already been made by the Monitoring Officer under delegation, however I firmly believe e-voting is the way forward for a robust and efficient means of voting for all our meetings whether virtual or in person. Hence, I am proposing that the Council adopts e-voting as its primary means of voting. I have also listened to the concerns raised by other Councillors about losing the current enhanced level of public access to voting, afforded by the process of roll call voting. This is essentially the ability of the public to see how each councillor votes on every item, something which we didn’t even have in face-to-face meetings without the public physically being present in the meeting room. Therefore, this urgent motion also proposes a constitutional change to enable the publication of a record of voting at every meeting on the Council’s website to ensure the highest level of openness and transparency. This will not negate the process for formally requesting a recorded vote for the purposes of the minutes or the statutory requirement to formally record the budget vote.
Motion:
“That this Council permanently adopts e-voting as its primary method of voting in all meetings and that a record of all votes cast at meetings of the Full Council, Cabinet and Committees be published on the Council’s website with immediate effect. Further, that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the required amendments to the Council’s constitution.”
Proposer: Councillor John Ward, Leader of the Council
Seconder: Councillor Jan Osborne
Minutes:
24.1 The Chair advised Members that she would take Item 12 before Item 3 on the Agenda and referred to the Urgent Motion on Notice, which had been circulated to Members and was tabled at the meeting. She invited Councillor Ward to present and move his Motion.
24.2 Councillor Ward referred to the Motion detailed in the Tabled Papers:
This administration has consistently pursued the use of technology to provide the public and press with an enhanced level of access and engagement in our meetings. This approach has been crucial during the covid-19 pandemic where we have maintained open, accountable and transparent democracy by fully embracing virtual meetings. Indeed, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils were the first Councils in Suffolk to hold fully virtual meetings open to the public. An extension to our use of technology in virtual meetings, is the adoption of e-voting to replace the lengthy and cumbersome process of roll call voting. Temporary alterations to the constitution to allow e-voting have already been made by the Monitoring Officer under delegation, however I firmly believe e-voting is the way forward for a robust and efficient means of voting for all our meetings whether virtual or in person. Hence, I am proposing that the Council adopts e-voting as its primary means of voting. I have also listened to the concerns raised by other Councillors about losing the current enhanced level of public access to voting, afforded by the process of roll call voting. This is essentially the ability of the public to see how each councillor votes on every item, something which we didn’t even have in face-to-face meetings without the public physically being present in the meeting room. Therefore, this urgent motion also proposes a constitutional change to enable the publication of a record of voting at every meeting on the Council’s website to ensure the highest level of openness and transparency. This will not negate the process for formally requesting a recorded vote for the purposes of the minutes or the statutory requirement to formally record the budget vote.
24.3 Councillor Ward then read out the Motion:
“That this Council permanently adopts e-voting as its primary method of voting in all meetings and that a record of all votes cast at meetings of the Full Council, Cabinet and Committees be published on the Council’s website with immediate effect. Further, that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the required amendments to the Council’s constitution.”
24.4 Councillor Ward MOVED the Motion, which was SECONDED by Councillor Jan Osborne.
24.5 Councillor Lindsay PROPOSED an amendment to be added to the Motion before the wording ‘Further, that the Monitoring Officer….’:
That immediately after the vote, during the meeting, the Monitoring Officer reads out the names of those voting against and those abstaining.
24.6 Councillor Jamieson seconded the Amendment.
24.7 Councillor Ward did not approve the Amendment, as this would delay the purpose of electronic voting and he did not think the process required further complications.
24.8 Members debated the Amendment.
24.9 In response to Members’ questions, the Monitoring Officer explained that a recorded vote was a constitutional process and was recorded in the minutes, whilst an electronic vote would be published on the Website.
24.10 Members debated the issues including that the identification of those voting against and abstaining on an item, could be taken as naming and shaming Members; that Members could indicate during the debate how they intended to vote; that the result could be screen shared after the vote and that Members should not be ashamed of how they voted on an item.
24.11 The Monitoring Officer clarified that screen sharing was not currently a solution, as not all votes were visible on one screen.
24.12 The Amendment was put to Members for voting.
By 26 votes against and 4 votes for.
It was RESOLVED:-
That the Amendment was lost.
24.13 Members debated the Motion, and in response to constitutional questions the Monitoring Officer clarified that the Motion would allow electronic voting to be permanent and would be added as a method of voting in the Constitution. Electronic Voting would be the primary method of voting for all Cabinet, Council and Committee meetings whether they were conducted as virtual or face to face meetings. However, voting by show of hands and voting by roll call would remain as valid forms of voting should technical issues prevent electronic voting. There would not be any requirements for further amendments to the Constitution once meetings returned to the Council Chamber.
24.14 Councillor Ward summed up the debate and said that now Members were becoming familiar with the Modern.gov system, electronic voting would be more proficient, efficient, and quick.
24.15 The Motion was put to Members for voting.
By 29 votes for and 1 against
It was RESOLVED: -
That this Council permanently adopts e-voting as its primary method of voting in all meetings and that a record of all votes cast at meetings of the Full Council, Cabinet and Committees be published on the Council’s website with immediate effect. Further, that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the required amendments to the Council’s constitution.”