THE ROLE AND STATUS OF A MOTION

Question

At our first committee meeting of the new Council we had the following text appear on our agenda "To note progress since the last meeting, to agree any action required, and to consider the creation of a working group to lead the project"

As this was my baby I wrote before the meeting to the "likely Chairman" and set out a motion to be considered with the agenda item  and he advised he was happy with it .

At the meeting I introduced the subject and handed out a hard copy of my motion for comment .  The clerk immediately interjected advising that as the motion was not written verbatim on the Agenda it could not be considered .

Now I understand the relationship between motions and resolutions but what is the " necessary connection" between motions and agenda items?   Historically items have been discussed and proposals (motions) made after debate and voted on but our SOs talk only of motions on the agenda.

If it is necessary then I can live with it and act accordingly but how many Councils actually have motions included on the Agenda itself ?

Answer 1

Whilst a proposed motion (including background detail) should be made available on / with the agenda, it is obviously bizarre and I’ll considered for a clerk to dictate that the exact motion should be recreated in the meeting. It should be recognisably close (or rather NOT recognisably different) but what of the right of any Cllr to propose an amendment? Is your clerk unaware that any proposed motion is subject to amendment?
Sounds like a power play with a new council.