Council and democracy

Agenda item

Review of Electoral Arrangements

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report explaining that Full Council had agreed to consult on four yearly elections having formerly received a recommendation from overview and scrutiny. The proposed consultation would start in January 2017 and run for twelve weeks and the results would return to the General Services Committee for comment. The latest a Council meeting could be convened to decide on the results would be November 2017 as any changes to elections would need to be in place for May 2018. It was explained that the information on the consultation document was kept simple and factual and officers were keen for feedback on the wording of the consultation question. 

Councillor Rice felt that the question should use the term ‘election’ rather than ‘Members to be elected’ as elections were much better understood in the general public. Councillor Snell felt that the terms ‘proposed new system’ and ‘existing system’ could be added appropriately in brackets at the end of each option.

Councillor Okunade felt that there should be an equal amount of pros and cons for each option and suggested that the existing system could have a pro of ‘continuity of elected members’, which the committee agreed was a valid point.

Councillor Coxshall noted that the form asked for a postcode but wondered whether an email address could also be requested to allow the Council to inform residents of the results.

The committee briefly discussed Councillor Aker’s comments at the previous Council meeting about value for money on the consultation and all recognised that the proposed consultation was cost effective and reaching many residents with low cost.

The Committee agreed to amend the wording of the question in line with Councillor Rice’s suggestions and this would be agreed by the committee via email.

Resolved: That:

  1. The Consultation process, timeline and format set out in this report and Appendix 2 be approved as amended by the Committee.

 

  1. The committee note a special meeting of Council will need to be convened by November 2017 in order for the Council to consider the results of the consultation and determine proposals for any change in its electoral governance arrangements.
  2. A report be brought to General Services Committee to consider the results of the consultation and make a recommendation to be considered by Full Council.

 

Supporting documents: