As part of the new Governance Rules Council has just put out for public consultation, Council has updated the Council Meeting procedures policy-C82. Question Time has taken a caning.
Changes to Public Question Time.
As part of the new Governance Rules Council has just put out for public consultation, Council has updated the Council Meeting procedures policy-C82
Much has been left as it was with numbering changes etc and it is noted that most of the numbering is incorrect. One section that has been left in is the one calling for a division of Council after a vote has been taken. This clause is totally irrelevant and should have been removed years ago. A Council resolution ensures that each Councillors vote is recorded in the minutes so full transparency occurs on how each Councillor votes. The clause calling for a division means that after the vote, a Councillor can move for a division to occur and the vote is retaken, and how the Councillors voted is then written in the minutes. Irrelevant and moot nowadays.
Why this was left in when it has not been needed for years is a wonder.
Another section that has seen further regressive changes is in the public question time section. Section 56 although all sections are incorrectly numbered, section 56 on public question time within a Council meeting has had the following suggested changes proposed.
Currently, people can ask 3 questions in total. Proposed is that the TOTAL TIME Allowed for Question Time session will be limited to 15 minutes. Clauses are inserted into the proposals to cut individuals questions back from 3 to 1 in the event that there may be more than can be answered in the 15 minutes.
Another change is that the chair can decide to answer the question in a closed session and so ensure that the response is not heard or seen by the public.
And despite the Casey Council Administrator stating within one week of her appointment to Casey Council, that it is an anachronism in the days of live streaming that public questions are not read out at a Council meeting, this Council still has a clause that says a ratepayer must attend the Council meeting to have their answer read out on the day.
Transparent governance rule changes? Perhaps Not.
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