Voting with abstentions

Question

If two councillors vote in favour of a motion, and there are two abstentions (meeting quorate with 4 councillors present) would this count as a majority vote in favour of the proposal?

Answer 1

No not a majority, but one of the four will be the chair, who would have the casting vote. Therefore the motion can still be carried or rejected.

Comments

Thank you. The chairman abstained and a casting vote wasn't requested. In this case would the motion have been rejected anyway?

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The Loc govt Act 1972 section 15 requires the person presiding to give a casting vote. It wasn't a question of a request being made. If the chair failed to give a casting vote they have breached the act.
(3)In the case of an equality of votes in the election of a chairman the person presiding at the meeting shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.

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Thank you. So as there was no majority vote (even though there should have been a casting vote), I assume the motion is neither carried or rejected?

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As things stand it was rejected because it failed to get a majority,   But since the LGA was not complied with, the motion ought to be put before council again at the appropriate time. Depending what the motion was about, it might need to be recorded as a non compliance in the AGAR (Annual Governance & Return, scrutinized by the external auditor).

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Thank you. Appreciate your advice.