How to write the minutes of a meeting

Question

The clerk refused a motion as I had written it and put a watered down version of it on the agenda. At the meeting I proposed an amendment back to my own version, which was (predictably) voted against. Then the clerk’s motion was voted on and passed. The minutes which we were asked to agree state that I proposed a motion which was voted against, and then some other councillors proposed and seconded another (the clerk’s) motion which passed. There is no reference to what I did as an amendment and from the minutes it looks like I proposed a motion, without notice and randomly out of the blue, before the clerk’s motion was then proposed and seconded by councillors. Nobody at the meeting was interested in an accurate recording of what happened so they accepted the minutes. Is it normal to record things this way, in the order that people said things rather than in the context they happened?

Answer 1

Recommend recording the PC meeting so when the minutes are presented at the next meeting you can provide evidence ( written transcript of the inaccurate minute) to support your objection to the minutes being signed and adopted by the chair. Perhaps this might just focus the necessity to councillors to have accurate minutes presented for ratification.

Answer 2

Minutes are a record of decisions and not necessarily how those decisions are reached although I personally prefer some background to give context to any decisions made.  In the example you've given, it sounds as if the correct procedure (as outlined in your standing orders if you've adopted the model version) was followed, i.e. a resolution was proposed (as stated on the agenda), you proposed an amendment, that amendment was voted on and rejected so the first proposal was then voted on and accepted.   Whether the wording of the amendment is detailed in full in the minutes is sometimes a matter of choice but the final accepted proposal would need to be.

Answer 3

Audio / video / livestream of meetings are SO simple, cheap and unobtrusive to achieve. 

The benefits are many fold. 

As MM suggests an accurate record is produced which can be referenced if required.  

Remember - at all times - who the real customer is….  The public not the council, or what might be easiest for the clerk. 

Questions like this will always smoke out the responses like “…all you have to do is…” and those that strive to achieve the absolute bare minimum seem to find some kind of refuge in local government. 

Setting goals as low as is practically possible is probably why the sector is so dire  

Comments

Brilliant! Another down vote despite the content being objectively and obviously on the money. Love it.

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Again, there are no down votes for your answer....

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The votes ebb and flow like the tide….