Agenda Items For Noting Only?

Question

I regularly put a Ward Report in to Full Council identifying anything relevant that has happened in my Ward recently. The Clerk puts the report on the Agenda: my last report raised several issues which took about 5-10 minutes to clarify. We are now being asked, in a report to Council by the Clerk, to make such reports, in the future, for "Noting only".  i.e. no discussion. My pointy is that whilst the content of the Agenda is a matter for the Clerk: it is up to Councillors to decide if  they wish to ask Questions in order to clarify matters.

Any advice? .

Answer 1

I think you are right. The clerk is entitled to make suggestions to help the smooth running of meetings, but ultimately it is for councillors to decide how to deal with the matters being considered. If a majority of councillors want to end discussion, they can always put forward a motion to move on to the next item, and have it put to a vote.

Answer 2

Yet another classic case of a council not wishing to engage with its parishioners. You are too much trouble. Clerks and councillors wish to pursue their own agendas. This is also a case of poor chairmanship. Its the chairman's job to run meetings, not the clerk's. Ask your chairman for an explanation, and ask him why a councillor is not doing what you are doing, if it is important.

Answer 3

Thank you (Counterpoint and Simon Brown) for answering this question. What is being proposed at next weeks meeting, is that, certain reports from Councillors, will not be included on Agendas: they will be disseminated through the Clerks weekly e-mail update. Those that are included will be annotated  for noting only.
I am considering what my response will be. And identifying which piece of law/best practices will be the best to use. I am not aware of what other Councillors think or if this proposal by the Clerk is being backed by certain Councillors.

Comments

I see you are a councillor, not a parishioner. I think disseminating reports through a news letter is fine. If matters arise from the report they can be dealt with by getting them on an agenda.

Answer 4

The sequel to all this was a Resolution as follows: 

10.1 Agenda Content – IT WAS RESOLVED not to include certain reports from councillors on agendas in the future; they will be disseminated through the Clerk’s weekly email updates instead.  Those reports that are included on the agenda will be annotated as for noting only and not for discussion, unless there is a clear recommendation/proposal for Council to consider.  Vote:  for 14 – against 1 – abstained 1.  The Resolution was carried.

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My arguments were not accepted. i.e.  that it is a matter for Councillors to decide if they wish to discuss - irrespective  of whether the report (from a Councillor)  hasn't proposed a Resolution. The one way around it is I assume to ask for Council to comment on one aspect. But it seems arbitrary.