Issue - meetings

The Monitoring Officer reports as follows:

In light of the General Election, only meetings dealing with essential matters will meet during the purdah period. A revised list of Council dates is attached

In addition a request has been received from the District Councils to bring forward the budget meeting of full Council in February 2018 to facilitate their budget setting processes.

Council is RECOMMENDED to note the revised schedule of meetings and to agree to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the February 2018 budget meeting of full Council to be held on 13 February.

Recommendations agreed by 38 votes to 15, with 9 abstentions

The Council had before them a revised meetings schedule for 2017/18 which had been drawn up to reflect the decision taken in light of the general election, to only hold essential meetings during the purdah period.  The report also sought agreement to a request received from the district councils to bring forward the budget meeting of full Council to facilitate their budget setting processes.

Councillor Patrick moved and Councillor Gill Sanders seconded that the recommendations set out in the report and on the face of the Agenda be adopted.

During debate, Members expressed disappointment that a meeting fell within the half term when there had been an agreement to avoid school holidays where possible.

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was carried by 38 votes to 15, with 9 abstentions.

RESOLVED: (by 38 votes to 15, 9 abstentions) to note the revised schedule of meetings and to agree to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the February 2018 budget meeting of full Council to be held on 13 February.