Agenda item

The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 17th August, it had agreed to receive a report on a suggestion that all votes at a Council meeting should be taken by way of a recorded vote.  If the Committee was  minded to agree to this, then it would require an amendment to Standing Order 24.

            He explained that the Standing Order currently states that:

“Subject to any statutory provisions to the contrary, any matter to be decided by the Council will be by simple majority, conducted by show of hands.

If, before a vote is called, any Member present at the meeting requests it, the names for and against the proposal or amendment and those abstaining from voting will be taken down in writing and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Upon such request being received, the division bell shall be rung, and a period of one minute shall be allowed to elapse, when the doors of the Council Chamber shall be closed and no one admitted until the vote has been taken.

During the taking of the votes Members shall remain seated.

In the case of an equality of votes, the Lord Mayor shall have a second and casting vote.”

            He pointed out that the existing Standing Order provided a simple mechanism whereby any single Member could require a vote to be recorded.  If the Committee was minded to amend the Standing Order as requested, then this would inevitably result in the meetings taking longer to complete.  Typically, each recorded vote took about seven or eight minutes to complete.  Over the year from June 2017 till May 2018, a recorded vote had been requested on 33 occasions, averaging three per meeting.  The Council had operated, since it was established in 1973, by way of the existing Standing Order.  The Committee might wish to consider if there is any purpose to be served by requiring every vote to be a recorded one rather than maintaining the existing system which permitted a recorded vote to be taken upon the request of a single Member.

If the Committee wished to amend the Standing Order, then the following wording was suggested:

“Subject to any statutory provisions to the contrary, any matter to be decided by the Council will be by simple majority, conducted by a recorded vote.

The names for and against the proposal or amendment and those abstaining from voting will be taken down in writing and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Before the vote is taken, the division bell shall be rung, and a period of one minute shall be allowed to elapse, when the doors of the Council Chamber shall be closed and no one admitted until the vote has been taken.

During the taking of the votes Members shall remain seated.

In the case of an equality of votes, the Lord Mayor shall have a second and casting vote.”

If the Committee was in agreement then the recommendation would, in accordance with Standing Order 64, require to be ratified at the Council meeting on 1st October and confirmed at the meeting on 1st November.

Moved by Councillor McAllister,

Seconded by Councillor Long,

      That the Committee agrees to amend Standing Order 24 to provide that all votes at a Council meeting be taken by way of a recorded vote and that the new Standing Order be set out as above.

            On a vote by show of hands three Members voted for the proposal and eleven against and it was declared lost.