EGM Update

Yesterday I outlined the details of the EGM meeting which would directly follow the full Council meeting scheduled for 2.30 p.m. this Friday. News has just reached the Northern Herald that all is not well with regards to the EGM.

Brian T Scott, Head of Corporate Governance, has once again interpreted the Councils constitution to accommodate Labour’s agenda. Two motions were submitted to the EGM, together with 5 public questions. Scott has only allowed one motion to be included on the agenda, and has rejected all the public questions. This is despite the following codicil in the council’s constitution relating to EGM’s:

PART B
ARTICLE 4.6
PAGE 29

“THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF COUNCIL MEETING

THE ANNUAL MEETING
ORDINARY MEETINGS
EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS

MEETINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES IN PART D SECTION 1 OF THIS CONSTITUTION”

Part D Section 1, Article 8.1, states:

“MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ASK QUESTIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AND CHAIR PERSON OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEES”

and

MOTIONS ON NOTICE, ARTICLE 10.1
“EXCEPT FOR MOTIONS WHICH CAN BE MOVED WITHOUT NOTICE UNDER RULE 11, WRITTEN NOTICE OF EVERY MOTION, SIGNED BY FIVE MEMBERS, MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OFFICE NO LATER THAN 10.00 A.M. ON THE SEVENTH DAY BEFORE THE DATE OF THE MEETING NOT INCLUDING THE DATE OF THE MEETING.”

All motions and questions submitted were constitutionally in order. The original signatories of the motions are now taking legal advice as they dispute the decision of Scott to limit the agenda to the one issue.

I am awaiting news of the outcome of the discussions on these issues, and will post later on what has emerged from the Town Hall, together with the text of the rejected motions etc.