Agenda item

Consider report by Chief Executive.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Executive providing an update on the work of the Petitions and Deputations Committee and proposed an amendment to the process for acceptance of a petition.  The report explained that since its formation, the Petitions and Deputations Committee had considered 12 petitions.  There had, however, been a number of petitions which had not been admissible due to the petition relating to a decision made by the Council or a committee during the preceding six months.  Officers had considered whether the six month rule could be relaxed in some way and any consequences of so doing.   In this regard, Officers did not consider it appropriate for any decisions of full Council to be the subject of a petition within 6 months of that decision as such decisions were taken by all 34 Councillors.  However, it might be appropriate to consider amending the process regarding petitions which is linked to decisions of the Executive Committee within this 6 month time period.  It was therefore proposed that the process for submission of petitions be amended to include the following:  “that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of the Petitions and Deputations Committee, had the discretion to allow consideration of a petition which was linked to a decision of the Executive Committee taken within the preceding 6 months as long as a delay would not prejudice the best interests of the Council”.  Details of the amended petitions process was appended to the report.  It was further suggested that the new process be trialled until the end of the current Council’s term of office in May 2017.  It was noted that if the amendment to the Petitions process was accepted this would require an amendment to Standing Order No. 26. 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     to commend the work to date of the Petitions and Deputations Committee; 

(b)     to approve the new Petitions and Deputations process as detailed in the Appendix to the report;

(c)     to approve the amendment of Standing Order No. 26 as follows:–

“Any motion or amendment to rescind or amend any decision which has been passed within the preceding six months, and any motion or amendment to the same effect as any motion or amendment which has been negatived within the preceding six months, shall not be in order unless notice thereof has been duly given and has been specified in the notice calling the meeting.  The notice of motion or amendment shall bear the signature of the member who proposes the motion and also signatures of at least six other members.  When any such motion or amendment has been disposed of by the Council, it shall not be competent for any member to propose a similar motion or amendment within a further period of six months.  In the event of there being any doubt as to the motion or amendment being a similar one, the question shall be decided by the Chairman.  The only exception to this will be if the subject of a petition linked to a decision of the Executive Committee is referred to Council from the Petitions and Deputations Committee.”

(d)     that the new petitions process be trialled until the end of the current term of office of the Council in May 2017.