Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence- Leonardo Da Vinci

[perseus]

After the latest HTH revelation that there are seemingly plans to remove the suplementary questions members of the public can put the Hartlepool Borough Councillors, I though it was worth mentioning a report put together by Lancaster Council, just a few weeks ago on November 8th 2012.

The reports purpose was to consider a request from a Councillor to increase the number of supplementary questions
which Members are allowed to ask at Council meetings.

Lancaster Councils current rule regarding supplementary question is as follows 'A questioner who has put a question in person may also put one supplementary question without notice to the Member who has replied to his or her question. A supplementary question must arise directly out of the original question or the reply and will be restricted and will be restricted to two minute duration'.

The proposal secifically was that 'Members consider whether Council Procedure Rule 13.6 should be amended to
allow more than one supplementary question'.

The reason given for the proposal was that 'The Councillor in question has expressed a view that one supplementary question often raises another question which has to be asked at the next meeting. Hence when questions are delayed as they were in July 2012, when Members' questions were deferred to the September meeting, the follow on is delayed for an extra month. He requested that the matter be brought before this Committee, which has the authority to consider amendments to the Council Procedure Rules'.

So while Lancaster Council are looking at INCREASING the number of supplementary questions from ONE to 'MORE THAN ONE', Hartlepool Borough Council members (some of them at least) appear to be doing the opposite, and looking to stop supplementary questions altogether.

Lancaster Council did some reaearch into the rules of OTHER councils concerning supplementary questions, with a view to making an informed decision. They questioned SIXTEEN other councils on their procedures and rules regarding supplementary questions.

Of the 16 they talked to, only TWO of the 16 (Buckinghamshire Council and West Lancashire Council) did NOT allow supplementary questions. The other 14 allowed one or more supplementary questions to be asked.

If one factors Lancaster council and Hartlepool council into that initial 16, that would make it 16 out of the 18 councils whos rules i'm aware of, who allow at least one or more supplemtary questions. Which is basically 90% of those 'surveyed'.

So there you have it.

Apparently some current councillors are looking to STOP allowing something which about 90% of OTHER councils allow.

Why would that be? 

[steveL]

These are the notes circulated to all councillors. The part in question appears under Rules of Procedure towards the bottom of the document on the right-hand side. This is an obvious, knee-jerk response to the discomfort felt during the December 6th meeting.

We are dealing with people who simply don't like their actions to be questioned, either by a Peer Group, by HTH or by an uncooperative member of the public. In fact, I'd go a little further than that and suggest that they consider any form of dissention tantamount to a crime - or they would if they had the power.

Such an arrogant attitude is extrememly dangerous and there are many national examples of it around the world. Maybe the jokey references to The Kremlin aren't so funny after all.

http://www.hartlepoolpost.co.uk/files/Governance Working Group.doc

[marky]

He never struck me as that intelligent when he was in Titantic.

[rabbit]

The new protocol doesn`t mention anything about councillors having to give answers to questions from the public.

Just that the questions have to be read out by Chief Executive.

I guess the anwering part isn`t too important.

[tankerville]

Member's of the public will no longer bother to attend Full Council Meeting's.

Neighbourhood Forum meeting's suffered the same 30 second's for member's of the public to speak 'but'  Councillor's could speak as and when they wished.

Councillor's hogged the meeting asking question's knowing full well answers could be given outside of the meeting.

Hartlepool got what they voted for. They only have themselves to blame if it goes pear shape.

[steveL]

The new protocol doesn`t mention anything about councillors having to give answers to questions from the public.

Just that the questions have to be read out by Chief Executive.

I guess the anwering part isn`t too important.

Even at present. you are not allowed to ask questions of individual Councillors; only the Mayor and the Chairs of the Committees. I guess this will change to The Leader of the Council and Chairs.