Issue - meetings

The Mayor advised that as this meeting had been designated as the Council’s formal budget and Council Tax setting meeting she would be inviting Councillor Kabir (as the Majority Group Chief Whip) to move a procedural motion, in accordance with Standing Orders, relating to the conduct of the debate on the budget report.

As a result it was RESOLVED that the following procedural motion be agreed:

(1)      That the Leader of the Council be permitted to speak for up to 15 minutes in presenting the report to the meeting and setting out the Cabinet’s proposals for the budget, after which, the following arrangements be agreed for the purpose of debating and voting upon the Budget and Council Tax:

(a)      The Leader of the Conservative Group (or their nominated representative) be permitted to speak for up to 15 minutes;

(b)      The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes;

(c)       The Co-Chair of the Budget Scrutiny Task Group be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes;

(d)      A general debate follow, during which the usual rules for debate will apply as set out in Standing Orders (save as set out in this procedural motion);

(2)      At the end of the general debate, the Leader of the Council be permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes to submit his closing remarks;

(3)      Following the close of the debate, recorded votes on any amendments to the budget proposals and then the final substantive budget proposals be taken in turn with the recommendations taken en bloc.