1. MEETINGS
Meetings of the Council shall be held on the second Tuesday of each month unless the Council otherwise decides at a previous meeting.
The Statutory Annual Meeting:
a) In an election year shall be held on the Tuesday next following the fourth day after the ordinary day of elections to the council and
b) In a year which is not an election year shall be held on a chosen Tuesday in May.
2. CHAIRMAN OF MEETING
The person presiding at a meeting may exercise all the powers and duties of the Chairman in relation to the conduct of the Meeting.
3. QUORUM
Three members or one third of the total membership, whichever is the greater, shall constitute a quorum, at meetings of the Council
4. VOTING
Members shall vote by show of hands, or if at least two members so request by signed ballot.
If a member so requires the Clerk shall record the names of the members who voted on any question so as to show whether they voted for or against it. Such a request must be made before moving on to the next business
Subject to a. and b. below the Chairman may give an original vote on any matter put to the vote, and in the case of an equality of votes may give a casting vote even though he gave no original vote.
a) If the person presiding at an annual meeting would have ceased to be a member of the Council but for the statutory provisions which preserve the membership of the Chairman and Vice chairman until the end of their term of office he may not give an original vote in an election of the Chairman.
b) The person presiding must give a casting vote whenever there is an equality of votes in an election of Chairman.
5. ORDER OF BUSINESS
At each Annual Meeting and at each Council meeting the first business will be to:
a) Elect a chairman
b) To receive the chairman’s declaration of Office if not then received,
to decide when it shall be received.
c) In the ordinary year of election of the Council to fill any vacancies left unfilled at the election by reason of insufficient nominations
d) To decide when any declarations of acceptance of office which have not been received as provided by law be received.
e) To elect a Vice Chairman.
f) To appoint Committees.
At every meeting other than the Annual Meeting the first business shall be to appoint a chairman if the chairman and Vice Chairman be absent, and to receive such declarations of acceptance of office (if any) as are required by law to be made, or if not then received to decide when they shall be received.
The Clerk’s salary shall be reviewed annually.
After the first business has been completed the order of business, unless the Council otherwise decides on the grounds of urgency shall be as follows:
a) To read and consider the Minutes provided that if a copy has been circulated to each member not later than the day of issue of the summons to attend the meeting, the Minutes may be taken as read.
b) After consideration to approve the signatures of the Minutes by the person presiding as a correct record.
c) To deal with business expressly required by statute to be done.
d) To dispose of business, if any remaining from the last meeting.
e) To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay before the Council.
f) To answer questions.
g) To receive and consider reports and minutes of committees.
h) To receive and consider reports from officers of the Council.
i) To authorise the signing of orders for payment.
j) To consider resolutions or recommendations in the order in which they have been notified.
k) Any other business specified in the summons
A motion to vary the order of business on the grounds of urgency:
a) May be proposed by the Chairman or by any member and, if proposed by the chairman, may be put to the vote without being seconded, and
b) Shall be put to the vote without discussion.
6. RESOLUTION MOVED ON NOTICE
If the subject matter of a resolution comes within the province of a committee of the Council, it shall, upon being moved and seconded, stand referred without discussion to such committee or to such other committee as the Council may determine for report; provided that the Chairman, if he considers it to be a matter of urgency may allow it to be dealt with at the meeting at which it was moved.
Every resolution or recommendation shall be relevant to some question over which the Council has power or which affects its area.
7. RESOLUTIONS MOVED WITHOUT NOTICE
Resolutions dealing with the following matters may be moved without notice:
a) To appoint a Chairman of the meeting.
b) To correct the Minutes.
c) To approve the Minutes.
d) To alter the order of business.
e) To proceed to the next business.
f) To close or adjourn the debate.
g) To refer a matter to a committee.
h) To appoint a committee or any members thereof.
i) To adopt a report.
j) To give leave to withdraw a resolution or an amendment.
k) To exclude the public.
l) To silence or eject from the meeting a member named for misconduct.
m) To invite a member having an interest in the subject matter under debate to remain.
n) To give the consent of the Council where such consent is required by these Standing Orders.
o) To suspend any Standing Order.
8. QUESTIONS
A member may ask the Chairman or Clerk any question concerning the business of the Council.
A person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer.
9. RULES OF DEBATE
No discussion shall take place upon the Minutes except upon their accuracy. Corrections to the Minutes shall be made by resolution and must be initialled by the Chairman.
A member shall direct his speech to the question under discussion or to a personal explanation or to a question of order.
An amendment shall not have the effect of negating the motion before the Council.
If an amendment be carried, the resolution, as amended shall take the place of the original resolution and shall become the resolution upon which any further amendment may be moved.
A further amendment shall not be moved until the Council has disposed of every amendment previously moved.
A motion or amendment may be withdrawn by the proposer with the consent of the council, which shall be signified without discussion and no member may speak upon it after permission has been asked for its withdrawal unless such permission has been refused.
When a resolution is under debate no other resolution shall be moved except the following:
a) To amend the resolution.
b) To proceed with the next business.
c) Adjourn the debate.
That the question be now put.
e) That a member named be not further heard.
f) That a member named do leave the meeting.
g) That the resolution be referred to a committee.
h) To exclude the public and press.
i) To adjourn the meeting.
The ruling of the Chairman on a point of order or on the admissibility of a personal explanation shall not be discussed.
Members shall address the Chairman.
10. CLOSURE
At the end of any speech a member may, without consent, move ‘that a question be now put’, ‘that the debate be now adjourned’ or ‘that the Council do not adjourn’. If such motion is seconded the Chairman shall put the motion but, in the case of a motion; to put the question’, only if he is of the opinion that the question before the Council has been sufficiently debated. If the motion ‘that the question be now put’, is carried, he shall call upon the mover to exercise or waive his right of reply, and shall put the question immediately after that right has been exercised or waived. The adjournment of a debate or of the Council shall not prejudice the mover’s right of reply at the resumption.
11. DISORDERLY CONDUCT
a) All members must observe the Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 12th June 2007 (Minute No 159.2007), a copy of which is shown in Section 3.
b) No member shall at a meeting persistently disregard the ruling of the Chairman, wilfully obstruct business, or behave irregularly, offensively, improperly or in such a manner as to scandalise the Council or bring it into contempt or ridicule.
c) If, in the opinion of the Chairman, a member has broken the provisions of the above paragraph of this Order, the chairman shall express that opinion to the Council, and thereafter any member may move that the member named be no longer heard or that the member named do leave the meeting, and the motion, if seconded shall be put forthwith and without discussion. If a member reasonably believes another member is in breach of the code of conduct, that member is under a duty to report the breach to the Standards Board (England).
d) If either of the motions mentioned in the paragraph above is disobeyed the Chairman may suspend the meeting or take such further steps as may reasonably be necessary to enforce them.
12. RIGHT TO REPLY
The mover of a resolution shall have a right to reply immediately before the resolution is put to the vote. If an amendment is proposed the mover of the amendment shall be entitled to reply immediately before the amendment is put to the vote. A member exercising a right of reply shall not introduce new matter. After the right of reply has been exercised or waived, a vote shall be taken without further discussion.
13. ALTERATION OF RESOLUTION
A member may, with the consent of the seconder move amendments to his own resolution.
14. RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTION
a) A decision (whether affirmative or negative) of the Council shall not be reversed within three months except by a special resolution, the written notice whereof bears the names of a least 3 (three) Members of the Council, or by a resolution of a committee, or by a majority vote.
b) When a special resolution has been disposed of, no similar resolution may be moved within a further three months.
c) A resolution may be rescinded by a majority vote if further information is brought to the Council’s notice.
15. VOTING ON APPOINTMENTS
Where more than two persons have been nominated for any position to be filled by the Council and of the votes given there is not an absolute majority in favour of one person, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and a fresh vote taken and so on until a majority of votes is given in favour of one person.
16. DISCUSSIONS AND RESOLUTIONS AFFECTING EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNCIL
If at a meeting there arises any question relating to the appointment, conduct, promotion, dismissal, salary or conditions of service of any person employed by the Council, it shall not be considered until the Council or Committee (as the case may be) has decided whether or not the public shall be excluded.
17. RESOLUTIONS ON EXPENDITURE
Any resolution which, if carried, would in the opinion of the Chairman, substantially increase the expenditure upon any service which is under the management of or reduce the revenue at the disposal of any committee, or which would involve capital expenditure shall, when proposed and seconded stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council and any committee affected by it shall consider whether it desires to report thereon.
18. EXPENDITURE
Orders for the payment of money shall be authorised by resolution of the Council and signed by two members.
19. GRANTS
Any application to the Council for a donation or sponsorship will be discussed and voted upon.
Grants will be made available for any specific items of tangible means. No grant will exceed 50% (fifty per cent) or £1500 (one thousand five hundred pounds) of the total request on the written estimate or submitted costings. Payments of grants will be authorised on receipt of goods invoice.
20. COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES
The Council may at the Annual Meeting appoint standing committees and may at any other time appoint such other committees as are necessary, but subject to any statutory provision in that behalf:
a) Shall not appoint any member of a committee so as to hold office later than the next Annual Meeting, and
b) May appoint persons other than members of the Council to any Committee; and
c) May subject to the provisions of Order 14 in this booklet at any time dissolve or alter the membership of a committee.
The Chairman and Vice Chairman will be members of every committee.
Every Committee shall at its first meeting before proceeding to any other business, elect a chairman and may elect a Vice Chairman who shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.
Chairman of a committee or the Chairman of the Council may summon an additional meeting of that committee at any time. An additional meeting shall also be summoned on the requisition in writing of not less than a quarter of the members of the committee. The summons shall set out the business to be considered at the special meeting and no other business shall be transacted at that meeting.
Every committee may appoint sub-committees for purposes to be specified by the committee.
Except where ordered by the Council in the case of a committee, or by the Council, or by the appropriate committee in the case of a sub-committee, the quorum of a committee or sub-committee shall be one-half of its members.
The Standing Orders on rules of debate (except those parts relating to standing and to speaking more than once) and the Standing Order on interests of members in contracts and other matters shall apply to committees and sub-committee meetings.
21. ADVISORY COMMITTEES
An advisory committee may make recommendations and give notice thereof to the Council.
22. VOTING IN COMMITTEES
Members of committees and sub-committees shall vote by show of hands, or if at least two members so request, by signed ballot.
Chairman of committees and sub-committees shall, in the case of an equality of votes, have a second or casting vote.
23. PRESENCE OF NON-MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS
A member who has proposed a resolution which has been referred to any committee of which he is not a member, may explain to the committee his resolution, but shall not vote.
24. ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT
a) Except as provided in paragraph b. below of this Standing Order or by statute, all accounts for payment and claims upon the Council shall be laid before the Council.
b) Where it is necessary to make a payment before it has been authorised by the Council, such payment shall be certified as to its correctness and urgency by the appropriate officer. Such payment shall be authorised by the committee, if any having charge of the business to which it relates, or by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Council.
c) All payments ratified under sub-paragraph b. of this Standing Order shall be separately included in the next schedule of payments laid before the Council.
The Clerk shall supply each member at the ordinary meeting next after the end of the Financial Year a statement of receipts and payments.
25. PRECEPT
The Council shall approve written estimates for the coming financial year at its meeting in the month of November.
26. PERSONAL OR PECUNIARY INTERESTS
If a member has a personal interest as defined by the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 16th April 2002 then he shall declare such interest as soon as it becomes apparent, disclosing the existence and nature of that interest as required.
If a member who has declared a personal interest then considers the interest to be prejudicial, he must withdraw from the room or chamber during consideration of the item to which the interest relates.
The Clerk may be required to compile and hold a Register of Members’ Interests, or a copy thereof, in accordance with agreement reached with the Monitoring Officer of the Responsible Authority or as required by statute.
The Clerk shall record in a book to be kept for the purpose, particulars of any notice given by a member or any officer of the Council of a personal or pecuniary interest in a contract, and the book shall be open during reasonable hours of the day for the inspection of any member.
If a candidate for any appointment under the Council is to their knowledge related to any member of or the holder of any office under the Council, they and the person to whom they are related shall disclose the relationship in writing to the Clerk. A candidate who fails so to do shall be disqualified for such appointment and, if appointed, may be dismissed without notice. The Clerk shall report to the Council or to the appropriate committee any such disclosure.
Where relationship to a member is disclosed the person concerned should be asked to leave the meeting. The Clerk shall make known the purport of this Standing Order to every candidate.
27. CANVASSING OR / AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY MEMBERS
a) Canvassing of members or of any committee, directly or indirectly, for any appointment under the Council shall disqualify the candidate for such appointment. The Clerk shall make known the purport of this sub-paragraph of this Standing Order to every candidate.
b) A member of the council, or of any committee, shall not solicit for any person any appointment under the Council or recommend any person for such appointment or for promotion, but, nevertheless a member may give a written testimonial of a candidate’s ability, experience or character for submission to the Council with an application for appointment.
Standing Orders nos. 26 and 27(a) shall apply to tenders as if the person making the tender were a candidate for an appointment.
28. INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS
A member may for the purpose of their duty as such (but not otherwise) inspect any document in possession of the Council or a committee, and if copies are available shall, on request, be supplied for the like purpose with a copy.
All minutes kept by the Council and by any committee shall be open for the inspection of any member of the Council.
29. UNAUTHORISED ACTIVITIES
No member of the Council or of any committee or sub-committee shall in the name or on behalf of the Council:
a) Inspect any lands or premises which the council has a right or duty to inspect, or
b) issue orders, instructions or directions unless authorised to do so by the Council or the relevant committee or sub-committee.
30. ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS TO MEETINGS
The public shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council and its committees and sub-committees which may however, temporarily exclude the public by means of the following resolution viz.:
That in view of the (special) [confidential] nature of the business about to be transacted it is advisable in the public interest that the public be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw.
The clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any proceedings at which they are entitled to be present.
If a member of the public interrupts the proceedings at any meeting, the Chairman after warning, order that they be removed from the Council Chamber.
31. CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS
No member of the Council or of any committee or sub-committee shall disclose to any person, not a member of the Council, any business declared to be confidential by the Council, the committee or the sub-committee as the case may be.
32. STANDING ORDER ON CONTRACTS
Notice of a contract exceeding £10,000 shall state the general nature of the intended contract and state the name and address of the person to whom tenders are to be addressed and the last date by which those tenders should reach that person in the ordinary course of post.
Tenders shall be opened by the Clerk or other person to whom tenders are required to be addressed on the date specified pursuant to paragraph above of this Order and shall be reported by the person who opened them to the Council or, where the tenders have been sought by a committee or sub-committee to that committee or sub-committee.
Neither the Council nor any committee, or sub-committee is bound to accept the lowest tender.
If no tenders are received or if all the tenders are identical the Council may make such arrangements for procuring the goods or materials or executing the works as it thinks fit.
A notice issued under this Standing Order shall contain a statement of the effect of Standing Order Nos. 26 and 27 as appropriate.
33. CODE OF CONDUCT ON COMPLAINTS
The Council shall deal with complaints of maladministration allegedly committed by the Council or by any officer or member in such a manner as adopted by the Council except for those complaints which should be properly directed to the Standards Board (England) for consideration.
34. STANDING ORDERS TO BE GIVEN TO MEMBERS
A copy of these Standing Orders shall be given to each member of the Council by the Clerk upon delivery of the member’s declaration of acceptance of office.