Issue - meetings

Report of the Democratic Services Manager.

A report on addresses to Council from the public was presented by the Democratic Services Manager to enable the Committee to consider how the wording of addresses from the public were presented to Council.

Details of addressers and their addresses had always been included on Council agendas, until September 2012 when a change in the deadline to register to speak meant that the public could register to speak, and supply a copy of their speech, some days after the agenda had been published.

The report outlined three options, and the Committee agreed upon option 2, whereby no details of addresser or their addresses would be included on the published agenda. However, Democratic Services would provide names of addressers and copies of their addresses by email to all Councillors on the Monday before the Wednesday meeting to allow them time to read and prepare.

The Committee agreed that paper copies should still be available at the meeting, as currently, and that a copy of each address should be appended to the minutes in future.

Resolved:

That:

(1)          The published Council agenda should not include details of addressers or their addresses; instead

(2)          The names of addressers and copies of their addresses be provided by email to all Councillors, on the Monday before the Wednesday Council meeting, by Democratic Services.

(3)          Paper copies of the speeches to Council be made available on desks at the meeting, as they are currently.

(4)          Copies of addresses be appended to the minutes of Council for future meetings.