The Council is requested to consider and approve the following recommendations to Full Council made by the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee at its meeting on 14 March 2022:
1. That Questions to the Executive remain at the same position in meetings with a discretionary option for the Chair, Mr Ward or Mr Bennett to move them as required.
2. That the time allotted for Questions to the Executive be reduced from 40 to 30 minutes.
3. That it be noted that the Chair should show robustness in encouraging adherence to a time limit for each question.
Minutes:
Cllr Hobbs proposed the recommendations which were seconded by Cllr Lintill.
Cllr Hobbs then introduced the report.
Cllr O’Kelly noted that she was not in agreement with recommendation 2 preferring Questions to the Executive to remain at 40 minutes in length.
Cllr Lishman asked why Questions to the Executive were being reduced in length.
Cllr Hobbs explained that the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee had debated the recommendation at length at its last meeting with general conclusion that shorter responses can be provided at the meeting with more detailed response to follow.
Cllr Oakley noted his sympathy for maintaining a 40 minute Questions to the Executive to provide opportunity for backbenchers to ask questions. He explained that the preamble provided to some questions could be reduced.
Cllr Oakley proposed that recommendation 1 be amended to read ‘that the discretionary option for the Chair in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services or the Monitoring Officer’. Mr Bennett confirmed that the amendment was proper. The amendment was seconded by Cllr Brown.
Cllr Evans asked whether Questions to the Executive could be moved up the agenda so it is not cancelled. He gave support for keeping a 40 minutes Questions to the Executive. Mr Bennett responded by explaining that the purpose of the meeting is to carry out the business of the Council which often includes statutory decisions which cannot be delayed. He explained that when Questions to the Executive have been submitted following the meeting in the past they are published on the committee pages of the council’s website. He added that the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee had been provided with information relating to the length of Questions to the Executive at other local authorities in the area with most being significantly shorter in length than the Council’s.
Cllr Moss asked the Chair to consider voting on the recommendations separately. He explained that where possible it would be helpful to move Questions to the Executive up the agenda. He also noted that he was not in favour of reducing the time of Questions to the Executive and asked the Cabinet not to refer to officers in answering their questions.
Cllr Apel noted her support for keeping Questions to the Executive at 40 minutes.
Cllr Plowman also noted his support for keeping Questions to the Executive at 40 minutes and suggested members send their questions in advance to the Cabinet to help with preparation of answers.
Cllr Purnell explained that she raises questions directly with the Cabinet.
Cllr McAra commented on the political nature of asking questions at Full Council.
Cllr Potter explained that most parish councils have their questions at the start of the meeting.
Cllr Hobbs responded by explaining that if all members asked their question in a minute then all members would get to ask a question.
Cllr Brown asked that members refer to the minutes of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee for information on the debate around recommendation 3.
The Chair explained that she would look at whether she could group similar questions together explaining that she would consider how many questions were requested and allocate a timespan based upon that.
The Chair agreed to take the vote on each recommendation separately.
In a vote the first recommendation as amended was agreed as follows:
That Questions to the Executive remain at the same position in meetings with a discretionary option for the Chair in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services or the Monitoring Officer to move them as required.
In a vote the second recommendation was agreed as follows:
That the time allotted for Questions to the Executive be reduced from 40 to 30 minutes.
In a vote the third resolution was agreed as follows:
That it be noted that the Chair should show robustness in encouraging adherence to a time limit for each question.