Motion by Councillor Andrew Gant
“Council notes and approves that there has been a general move away from gender-specific job titles in recent decades. This has taken different forms in different contexts, but a common thread is that where a simple alternative to a gender-specific nomenclature exists, it has been widely adopted. Such an instance is the replacement of “Chairman” with “Chair”.
Council notes and approves that the vast majority of other councils have made this change, either formally or by natural evolution and habit.
Council regrets that its own working practices haven’t kept up with this shift, making it appear old-fashioned, reactionary, exclusive, out of touch and showing a damaging lack of awareness of changes in society as a whole. Council also believes it will be easier and more efficient for officers to work to one standard in preparing meeting agendas, etc
Council therefore:
Resolves that with immediate effect the chairs of council and all committees and other bodies will be referred to in writing and verbally as “Chair”. The word “Chairman” will not be used.
Resolves to ask the Monitoring Officer to incorporate this change in the constitution at the earliest opportunity and to change the currently in-use painted board in the Council Chamber at the earliest convenient opportunity (but not to alter the other, completed boards, which are a historical record).
Decision:
The Amendment by Councillor Yvonne Constance was lost by 37 votes to 20.
The substantive Motion was carried by 38 votes to 20.
Minutes:
Councillor Andrew Gant moved and Councillor Kate Gregory seconded the following Motion:
“Council notes and approves that there has been a general move away from gender-specific job titles in recent decades. This has taken different forms in different contexts, but a common thread is that where a simple alternative to a gender-specific nomenclature exists, it has been widely adopted. Such an instance is the replacement of “Chairman” with “Chair”.
Council notes and approves that the vast majority of other councils have made this change, either formally or by natural evolution and habit.
Council regrets that its own working practices haven’t kept up with this shift, making it appear old-fashioned, reactionary, exclusive, out of touch and showing a damaging lack of awareness of changes in society as a whole. Council also believes it will be easier and more efficient for officers to work to one standard in preparing meeting agendas, etc
Council therefore:
Resolves that with immediate effect the chairs of council and all committees and other bodies will be referred to in writing and verbally as “Chair”. The word “Chairman” will not be used.
Resolves to ask the Monitoring Officer to incorporate this change in the constitution at the earliest opportunity and to change the currently in-use painted board in the Council Chamber at the earliest convenient opportunity (but not to alter the other, completed boards, which are a historical record).
Councillor Yvonne Constance moved and Councillor Donna Ford seconded the following amendment to the Motion as shown in bold italics and strikethrough below:
“Council notes and approves that there has been a general move away from gender-specific job titles in recent decades. This has taken different forms in different contexts, but a common thread is that where a simple alternative to a gender-specific nomenclature exists, it has been widely adopted. Such an instance is the replacement of “Chairman” with “Chair”.
Council notes and approves that the vast majority of other councils have made this change, either formally or by natural evolution and habit.
Council regrets
that its own working practices haven’t kept up with this
shift, making it appear old-fashioned, reactionary, exclusive, out
of touch among certain sections of the
community and showing a damaging
perceivedlack of awareness of
changes in society as a whole. Council also believes it will be
easier and more efficient for officers to work to one standard in
preparing meeting agendas, etc
Council therefore:
Resolves that with immediate effect the chairs of council and all committees and other bodies will be referred to in writing and verbally as “Chair”. The word “Chairman” will not be usedunless the person in question politely so requests.
Resolves subject also to the outcome of the Council’s constitutional review, to ask the Monitoring Officer to incorporate this change in the constitution at the earliest opportunity and to change the currently in-use painted board in the Council Chamber at the earliest convenient opportunity (but not to alter the other, completed boards, which are a historical record).
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