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Does the chairman of a meeting have the power to vary the order of the agenda at a meeting, or unilaterally defer an item to a future meeting?  Or do both of these things require a motion and a vote of the council?
ago by (180 points)

1 Answer

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If you have adopted NALC Model Standing Orders...

1a - 

  1. RULES OF DEBATE AT MEETINGS
  1. Motions on the agenda shall be considered in the order that they appear unless the order is changed at the discretion of the chair of the meeting.
ago by (26.1k points)
Thanks for that.  I checked the standing orders and that is in there.  What about deferring an item to a future meeting?
Subject to circumstances, it could just be shifted 'left' to the end of the agenda and filibustered out of time so - it's entirely 'possible' to defer an item.
Whether it is 'ethical' or 'appropriate' would depend upon the circumstances.  You'd be unlikely to land an effective challenge to an item being deferred since either the chair or some consenting party could just suggest that they need more detail or information and that would justify deferment.
Very dependent upon the circumstance and the sensitivity of the subject item.

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