Issue - meetings

At its meet in January 2023, the Executive had considered a further motion submitted by Councillor Dorsett in respect of the minutes of meetings of the Council.  Whilst the original motion had referred solely to the minutes of Council meetings, the Executive proposed an amended motion which would ensure that the proposals would apply equally to the minutes of the Executive.  The Leader of the Council therefore advised that the Executive had supported the motion as amended below (with the additional wording highlighted in bold):

“Openness and Transparency are vital to the workings of this Council.  Therefore the minutes of Full Council should adequately reflect members supplementary questions to the Leader and the Executive.

At present Councillor Questions to Full Council are recorded with the written answers given as a printed document.  However supplementary questions and answers are not minuted.

This means the only way for our residents to understand the supplementary question and subsequent answer is to watch the meeting from the webcast.

We want to make it as easy as possible for our residents to engage with the work we as a council do therefore moving forwards this Council resolves to include in the minutes all Supplementary Questions from members, along with the answers given.  This will allow our residents to better understand and follow how the Executive is held to account by members.  Furthermore, the Council resolves to include in the minutes of the Executive all public questions, supplementary questions and the answers given at meetings of the Executive.”

The proposals were welcomed by the Members and the amended wording was agreed by the Council.

RESOLVED

That the Motion, to be amended to include Public Questions to the Executive, be supported.

Reporting Person – Corporate Leadership Team

At its meeting on 1 December 2022, the Council referred the following Notice of Motion to the Executive.

Councillor S Dorsett

“Openness and Transparency are vital to the workings of this Council.  Therefore the minutes of Full Council should adequately reflect members supplementary questions to the Leader and the Executive.

At present Councillor Questions to Full Council are recorded with the written answers given as a printed document.  However supplementary questions and answers are not minuted.

This means the only way for our residents to understand the supplementary question and subsequent answer is to watch the meeting from the webcast.

We want to make it as easy as possible for our residents to engage with the work we as a council do therefore moving forwards this Council resolves to include in the minutes all Supplementary Questions from members, along with the answers given.  This will allow our residents to better understand and follow how the Executive is held to account by members.”

Councillor Dorsett spoke in support of the Motion.  The Executive was supportive of the Motion, noting that providing written answers to supplementary questions would further openness and transparency of Council meetings.  In order to reduce the burden upon Democratic Services, it was agreed that minutes of the meeting should be drafted as a priority and answers to supplementary questions should be drafted separately.  Following discussion, it was felt that the timescale for minuting supplementary questions should be by the next Ordinary Council meeting.  Public Questions to the Executive were highlighted, and it was agreed that the Motion should be amended before Council on 9 February 2023 to also include the minuting of supplementary questions at Executive.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That the Motion, to be amended to include Public Questions to the Executive, be supported.