Agenda item - Minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last Council meeting held on (a) the 31^st January and (b) the Budget Council meeting held on the 28^th February 2013 (copies attached).

96.1               The minutes of the last ordinary meeting held on the 31^st January 2013 were approved and signed by the Mayor as a correct record of the proceedings subject to the inclusion of a noted at the end of paragraph 80.72 on page 24 to show that the Conservative Group abstained from voting on the City Plan; and

96.2               The minutes of the Budget Council meeting held on the 28^th February 2013 were approved and signed by the Mayor as a correct record of the proceedings subject to the inclusion of a note at the end of paragraph 90.25 on page 43 to show that the Conservative Group voted against the 2013/14 General Fund revenue Budget.

96.3               Councillor G. Theobald raised a point of order and sought clarification from the Monitoring Officer in regard to the two Notices of Motion appearing on the agenda, Items 111 (a) and (b) which referred to ‘Bedroom Tax,’ and queried whether they should be accepted as they referred to a non-existent tax and having regard to a recent briefing from the Section 151 Officer on the welfare reforms, he questioned whether the second notice of motion from the Green Group was contrary to the advice of the Section 151 Officer.  He also noted that the Conservative Group had been advised that their proposed amendment to the notice of motion on free school meals, Item 111(c) should be changed so as not to be deemed political and to take out the reference to ‘Labour’.

96.4               The Monitoring Officer stated that both notices of motions had been accepted and that the Green Group’s motion merely requested the relevant committee to give consideration to the matter and therefore was not substantive in nature.  The question of the use of political party references had been previously raised with the Whips and agreed that such references should only be made where they were necessary for the point in question, otherwise they should not be included.  In regard to the Conservative Group’s amendment the advice given was that the reference to ‘Labour’ should be removed as the term ‘Previous Government’ was sufficient.  He noted that the Housing Act 1986 Section 2 made reference to not engaging in aspects of a party political nature and that this had to be balanced with the Human Rights Act Article 10, where views around the well-being of residents and the city could be expressed within the chamber.  He hoped to be able to discuss the matter and composition of notices of motions with the Whips in the future so that agreement could be reached on the nature of such motions.  However, as things stood both motions were acceptable under the council’s constitution.

96.5               The Mayor noted the comments and thanked the Monitoring Officer.