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Standing Orders
Standing Orders for the Regulation of the Meetings and Proceedings of Sligo Borough Council
Sligo Borough Council, in pursuance of the powers vested in it by the Local Government Act, 2001, and of every other power hereunto enabling hereby make the undermentioned Standing Orders for the regulation of the Council’s proceedings and business.
Definitions
In these Orders “Council” means the Borough Council for the Administrative Borough of Sligo.
“Councillor” means a person elected or chosen to be a member of Sligo Borough Council.
“Mayor” means a Chairperson who shall be elected and hold office in accordance with Part 5 of the Local Government Act, 2001, and shall include the Deputy Mayor or other member chosen for this purpose from time to time.
“County Manager” means the County Manager for the Administrative County of Sligo or in his absence such other person as is duly authorised to act for him.
“Meetings Administrator” means an officer or other such person acting for him/her who has been assigned the duties of meetings administration.
The word “month” when used in Resolutions, Standing Orders and Regulations of the Council shall be deemed to mean a calendar month.
“A Point of Order” shall be a question dealing only with the conduct or procedure of a debate.
“Excluded Day” means a day which is a Sunday, Good Friday or a day which is a public holiday within the meaning of the Holidays (Employees) Act 1973 (No. 25 of 1973) or a day which by virtue of a statute or proclamation is a public holiday.
In the computation of a number of clear days, both of the terminal days are to be excluded.
In counting clear days where the number of days notice does not exceed seven, Sundays and Christmas day are not to be included in the computation. If the notice exceeds seven days, Sundays and Christmas Day are to reckoned.
Ordinary Meetings of the Council
1. Unless upon any occasion when it is otherwise fixed by statute or by resolution of the Council, Ordinary Meetings of the Council shall be held on the 1st Monday of each of the months January - December excluding August, except where the 1st Monday is a Bank Holiday where the meeting shall be held on the 2nd Monday. A General Purposes meeting of the Council shall be held on the third Monday of each of the months January - December excluding August except where the 1st Monday is a Bank Holiday where the meeting shall be held on the 4th Monday.
Annual Meeting
2. In every year in which a local election is held the Annual Meeting shall be held on the tenth day after the polling day or, where the poll is for any reason countermanded, interrupted or adjourned, after the day on which the poll is completed or the fresh poll is held.
Where the tenth day is an excluded day the meeting shall be held on the next following day which is not an excluded day.
In every other year the Annual Meeting shall be on such day within the period 14 days either side of the anniversary of the first annual meeting.
Whenever an Annual Meeting is for any reason not held on the appointed day the meetings administrator shall, following consultation with the Mayor, or if the office of Mayor is vacant or he / she is unable to act, with the Deputy Mayor, convene a meeting for a day which the administrator considers to be the earliest convenient date for that purpose.
In an election year the local authority shall publish a notice of its Annual Meeting in at least one newspaper circulating in its administrative area. The notice shall state the date of the annual meeting and where appropriate that the first business of the meeting will be the election of the Mayor, and specify the joint bodies and other bodies to which the local authority is entitled to make appointments at that meeting or subsequently. The notice shall be in a form and published within the period prescribed by regulations.
At an Annual Meeting in an election year the meetings administrator shall read out the names of persons duly elected as members of the local authority. Subject to this the election of a Mayor is to be the first business of an Annual Meeting and the next business, the election of a Deputy Mayor.
In the case of an Annual Meeting in an election year and until the election of the Mayor at such meeting, the Chair for this period shall be taken by a member or an employee selected by the meeting for this purpose. Any member selected to chair an annual meeting under this subparagraph shall not have a second or casting vote and any employee of the local authority if so selected in accordance with this subparagraph shall not have any vote.
In the case of the Annual Meeting in an election year the business to be transacted after the election of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor shall include the consideration of the election, appointment or nomination of members of joint bodies or other bodies elected, appointed or nominated by the local authority.
Local Authority Budget Meeting
3. A Local Authority Budget Meeting shall be held during the period prescribed by regulations made by the Minister for that purpose.
Special Meeting
4. A Special Meeting of the Council may be convened at any time by the Mayor or if the office of Mayor is vacant or the Mayor is unable to act, by the Deputy Mayor, or by the Mayor on foot of a request in writing presented to him or her by any five members.
Where the Mayor refuses or neglects to act on foot of a request within 7 days of it being presented to him/her, the members making the request may convene a meeting.
The provisions of paragraph 6 of schedule 10 of the Local Government Act, 2001 apply in relation to the calling of such meeting.
Hour of Meeting
5. The hour of meeting of the Council shall be at 8.00 pm or at such other hour as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Council. The hour of the annual meeting shall be 12.00 noon.
Place of Meeting and Address of Principal Offices
6. In so far as practicable the place for holding meetings of the Council shall be the principal offices of the local authority and meetings shall normally be held there, provided that the Council may from time to time by resolution appoint an alternative location for a particular meeting.
The address of the principal offices for the purposes of these Standing Orders is City Hall, Quay Street, Sligo.
Summoning of Meeting
7. A notification to attend a meeting, other than a local authority budget meeting shall (a) be sent or delivered or transmitted by electronic mail to each member of the Council, (b) specify the place, date and time of the meeting, and (c) give not less than 3 clear days notice. The 3 clear days shall only exclude (i) normal day for receipt of notice, and (ii) the day of the meeting.
A notification shall include or be accompanied by an Agenda listing the business to be transacted at the meeting. Subject to Standing Order 20 no business shall be transacted at a meeting other than that specified in the Agenda which relates to the meeting or business required by the Act, or otherwise by law to be transacted at the meeting.
An Agenda which has been sent or delivered for this purpose may be altered (whether by way of addition, deletion or otherwise) if an Agenda specifying the alteration is delivered or sent to each member not less than 3 clear days before the day on which the meeting is to be held.
In the case of a Special Meeting convened by requisition under Standing Order 4, a copy of the requisition shall be sent with the notification.
8. A notification shall have the signature of the meetings administrator and any document claiming to have that signature shall be deemed, until the contrary is proved to have been duly issued or given with the authority of the local authority.
Want of service or non-receipt of a notification by any member or lack of a signature or any other defect in the notification does not affect the validity of a meeting or of any act or thing done at the meeting.
For the purposes of this Standing Order “signature” includes a facsimile of a signature by whatever process reproduced or a printed version of the name of the meetings administrator.
Public Notice of Meeting
9. Public notice of the place, date and time of a meeting other than a local authority budget meeting shall be displayed not less than three clear days before the day of the meeting in or at the principal offices of the local authority in a position convenient for public inspection during normal office hours.
The Notice shall include the Agenda for the meeting or specify a place where the Agenda can be inspected and in the case of a meeting requisitioned under Standing Order no. 4 the Agenda shall include or be accompanied by a copy of the requisition.
Subject to any arrangements as it may make the local authority shall supply a copy of a public notice and agenda to the media.
Constitution of Meetings
10. The Chair shall be taken by the Mayor at a meeting of the Council within 15 minutes after the time appointed for such meeting or in his / her absence by the Deputy Mayor or otherwise by a Member called thereto by general agreement or chosen by vote of the members present to chair the meeting and such member shall leave the chair on the arrival at the meeting of the Mayor or Deputy Mayor.
11. The names of the members attending shall be recorded in a register for that purpose.
Quorum
12. The quorum for a meeting of a local authority is one-fourth of the total number of members of the local authority plus one. In the case of this Council the quorum is four.
Whenever a meeting of the local authority is abandoned owing to failure to obtain a quorum the names of those present at the time and place appointed for such meeting shall be recorded by the meetings administrator and they shall for all purposes be deemed to have attended a duly constituted meeting.
If a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes after the time fixed for the meeting [or at any time during the meeting,] the meeting shall stand adjourned to a day to be named by the person chairing the meeting.
Order of Business
13. The Order of Business at all Ordinary meetings of the Council other than Annual Meetings, Budget Meetings and Special Meetings shall, subject to the provisions of any enactments, be as follows:
(i) Confirmation of Minutes.
(ii) Matters arising (notice of intention to raise a matter from the Minutes shall be submitted in writing to the Town Clerk not later than 12.00 noon on the day of the meeting).
(iii)Business prescribed by Statute, Standing Orders or Resolutions of the Council for transaction at such meeting.
(iv) Other business set forth in the Notice convening the meeting including business submitted by the County Manager.
(v) Notices of Motion in the order in which they have been received.
(vi) Correspondence.
(vii)Any other business.
The Order of Business at General Purposes meetings of the Council shall be as follows:
(i) Planning applications received.
(ii) Planning decisions made.
(iii)Conferences.
(iv) Other business set forth in the Notice convening the meeting including business submitted by the County Manager.
(v) Notices of motions from the Ordinary meeting of the Borough Council.
(vi) Any other business.
In the case of a meeting convened for a special purpose the business specified in the notification for such meeting shall be transacted and no other business.
At any ordinary meeting of the Council it shall be proper, if a majority of the members present and voting so decide, to take an item for consideration out of the sequence of listing on the Agenda, provided always that such decision shall not affect any business required by Statute to be done before any other business at the meeting.
Presentations by outside agencies or individuals shall be confined to one presentation per meeting, the position of said presentation on the agenda to be decided by prior consultation with the Mayor. The presentation shall not exceed ten minutes in duration.
Minutes
14. Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the local authority shall be drawn up by the meetings administrator.
The Minutes shall include -
(a) the date, place and time of the meeting,
(b) the names of the members present at the meeting,
(c) the names of the senior employees of the local authority present at the meeting,
(d) reference to any report submitted to the members at the meeting,
(e) where there is a roll call vote, the number and names of members voting for and against the motion and of those abstaining,
(f) particulars of all resolutions passed at the meeting,
(g) such other matters considered appropriate.
A copy of the minutes of a meeting shall be sent or given or transmitted by email by the Meetings Administrator to each member of the local authority.
Minutes of a meeting shall be submitted for confirmation as an accurate record at the next following ordinary meeting, where practicable, or where not, at the next following meeting and recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
When confirmed with or without amendment, the minutes of a meeting shall be signed by the person chairing the meeting they were submitted to for confirmation and any minutes claiming to be so signed shall be received in evidence without proof.
When the question that they be confirmed is put by the Mayor, a Member may object to any part thereof as not being an accurate record and upon a motion any question of altering the record shall be determined by the Council by majority vote of those members who were present at the appropriate meeting; provided that no entry shall be made in the Minutes of any protest other than a record of dissent, save in the form of a motion or an amendment.
A copy of the minutes when confirmed in accordance with this Standing Order shall be placed on public display for a period of 4 weeks at the principal offices of the local authority and any person may inspect and make a copy of, or abstract from, the minutes during the usual office hours of the authority.
A copy of the minutes shall be provided to any person applying for them on payment of such reasonable sum, being a sum not exceeding the reasonable cost of supplying the copy, as may be fixed by the authority.
Notices of Motion
15. Every Notice of Motion dated and signed by the Member or Members giving it shall be delivered to the meetings administrator or transmitted by electronic mail and shall be recorded in the order of its receipt and shall appear on the Agenda in that order.
Only those notices of Motion which have been received not later than 5.00 pm on the sixth day before the relevant meeting of the Council shall appear on the Agenda for that meeting. Where the 6th day before the relevant meeting is a Bank Holiday, 5.00 pm on the previous working day shall apply.
16. The Agenda shall not contain any motion which has been considered within the previous six months or any motion substantially similar to any motion considered within the previous six months. Any decision on what constitutes a substantially similar motion shall be decided upon by the Mayor.
A motion listed for consideration or an amendment before being considered by the Council shall be committed to in writing, signed by the member proposing it and by the member seconding it and handed to the Mayor.
A motion listed for consideration may be proposed either by the member or members in whose name it stands or in their absence by any member authorised by them, to propose it on their behalf. A motion listed for consideration on the agenda of a meeting may at the request of the proposer or some member on his/her behalf, with the consent of the Council be deferred to a future meeting of the Council.
Where any Notice of Motion is obviously out of order, illegal or contains unbecoming expressions such a Notice of Motion shall be referred by the Meetings Administrator to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor. The decision of the Mayor or Deputy Mayor in such instances shall be final and binding.
Motions which relate to more than one topic are prohibited.
17. No member shall be permitted to submit more than three motions (for inclusion) on the Agenda for any one meeting or to move more than three motions during one month. The maximum number of motions in the name of one member appearing on a monthly agenda shall not exceed six.
Motions to Amend or Revoke Resolutions
18. A motion to revoke or amend a resolution of the Council can only be made on notice inserted in the Agenda, and such notice shall specify the resolution to be revoked or amended and furnish the terms of the motion to be made; but no such motion shall be allowed to appear on the Agenda to revoke or amend any resolution or substantially similar resolution of the Council within six months of the date of the adoption of such resolution except with the written consent of not less than six members of the Council. A resolution may not be revoked at the meeting at which it has been adopted.
It shall be necessary for adoption of a motion to revoke or amend a resolution of the Council that not less than one-half of the total number of members of the Council vote in favour and subject to such other requirements as may be specified in Standing Orders and to any statutory requirements. This Standing Order dealing with revocation of resolutions cannot be suspended.
A resolution shall not be revoked where the original resolution was for the purpose of carrying out a statutory obligation or where the original resolution has been acted upon so as to involve the Council in a legal obligation or commitment.
19. Subject to Standing Order 18 any matter decided by the local authority by motion on notice or on the report of a committee shall not be re-opened within 6 months of the date of such decision.
Motion for Purpose of Dealing with Urgent Business
20. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Standing Orders a motion may be proposed without notice for the purpose of dealing with urgent business related to a function of the local authority, subject to the requirement that not less than one-half of the total number of members of the authority vote in favour and subject to such number voting in favour being not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting. The making of a statutory decision shall require notice to be given in accordance with standing orders and any statutory requirement regarding notice or procedure. This Standing Order, dealing with urgent business, cannot be suspended.
Adjournment of Council
21. A motion for adjournment of the Council may be made at any time and shall be determined without amendment and without debate, except that the mover of the Motion of adjournment and the mover of the Motion immediately affected by it, may each address the Council for not more than five minutes on the question of the adjournment; and when the Motion for adjournment is adopted, the meeting will stand adjourned to a day then named or in the event of no such date being named, to the next occurring ordinary meeting.
A Special Meeting may be adjourned from time to time until its business is concluded.
No new business shall be entered upon after the chairman has sat at the meeting for two hours and fifteen minutes.
Adjournment of the Council for the purposes of expressing sympathy will be for the duration of 15 minutes after which time the meeting will reconvene. The only exceptions to this rule will be in the event of the death of a member or former member of Sligo Borough Council, the spouse, children or parents of a current member, the sitting County Manager or Town Clerk, the President or Taoiseach of Ireland.
Motions and Amendments
22. The proposer of a motion not listed in the Agenda or an amendment and not in common form shall upon moving the same deliver a copy to the person chairing the meeting.
23. A motion, notice of which stands in the Agenda and which has been proposed and seconded, may be withdrawn only on leave obtained from a majority of the Council present at the meeting at the request of the member concerned.
A motion may either be proposed by the member in whose name it stands or if he or she be absent, by any member authorised by him or her in writing to propose it on his or her behalf, but unless so proposed, and in the absence of a request in writing from the member in whose name it stands to postpone it, the motion shall be dropped and shall not again be set down in the Notice Paper except on fresh notice. A motion or an amendment when not seconded is dropped.
24. An amendment which has been proposed and seconded may be withdrawn only on leave obtained from a majority of the Council members present at the meeting at the request of the member concerned.
25. Every amendment shall be relevant to the motion on which it is moved and shall be either (a) to leave out words, (b) to leave out words and insert or add others, (c) to insert or add words. An amendment shall not be in order if it is equivalent to a direct negative or if it is not in fact an amendment of the motion it purports to amend.
26. Whenever an amendment on an original motion has been moved and seconded, no second or subsequent amendment shall be moved until the first amendment shall have been disposed of, but notice of any second or subsequent amendment shall first have been given.
27. When an amendment is affirmed the original motion as amended becomes the substantive motion upon which any further amendment, of which notice has been given may be moved.
28. When an amendment is lost any further amendment of which notice has been given may be proposed, but only one amendment shall be at any time before the meeting and an amendment shall not be in order if the Mayor rules it to be substantially the same as an amendment already lost.
Rules of Debate
29. Except with the permission of the person chairing the meeting no member shall address the Council for more than five minutes. A member may speak once upon any item on the Agenda or on any motion except a motion which is to be put without debate.
The proposer of a motion has the right to reply whilst the motion remains before the Council and when the proposer replies the debate on the motion is closed.
30. No member who has spoken to a motion may move or second an amendment, but when an amendment is moved and seconded, a member who has already spoken to the original motion may speak to the amendment.
31. A member may speak more than once on the same motion or amendment for the purpose only of submitting a point of order or making a personal explanation. The decision of the Mayor in determining a point of order or personal explanation shall be final.
32. The person chairing the meeting shall ascertain that a motion is seconded before the proposer is permitted to speak to it.
33. A motion “that the Council proceed to the next business” may be made after any motion has been proposed and seconded. When made it shall be determined without amendment or debate and if it be affirmed the business interrupted by such motion shall not be proceeded with further at that meeting and unless the Council otherwise determine shall be adjourned to the next ordinary meeting. The motion to proceed to next business shall not be made more than once during the debate on any question
34. At any time during a discussion on a motion a member may move “that the question be now put” and if such leave be given by the assent of the majority of those present and voting, the motion shall be put, subject to the right of reply by the proposer of the original or substantive motion.
35. When two or more members at the same time offer to speak, the member called upon by the Mayor shall have precedence.
36. A member while speaking shall address only the Mayor.
37. A member speaking shall not be interrupted except upon a question of order, but may give way to a member desiring to make a personal explanation.
38. When a member seeks to make a point of order, the member then addressing the Mayor shall give way until the question of order has been determined by the Mayor, unless the former seeks to address the Mayor upon the question of order.
Conduct at Meetings
39. The Mayor is the sole judge of order in the Council and has authority to maintain order and enforce prompt obedience to his / her ruling.
40. When during a debate the Mayor rises, any member then speaking shall give way to the Mayor. Council meetings shall be carried out in a dignified manner and in an atmosphere of respect for all concerned.
41. If in the opinion of the Mayor any member has been or is disorderly by persistently disregarding the ruling of the Mayor, or by behaving irregularly, improperly or offensively or by otherwise obstructing the business of the meeting, and the Mayor has conveyed his or her opinion to the members present by naming the member concerned, then the Mayor or any member may move “that the member named leave the meeting” and the motion, if seconded, shall be put and determined without discussion.
42. Where the Council decides that a member leave a meeting, that member shall immediately leave the meeting and shall not be entitled to speak or to take any further part in that meeting on that day.
43. Where in the opinion of the Mayor there is general disorder which impedes the orderly transaction of business or where a member against whom it was resolved that he or she leave the meeting refuses to do so, the Mayor may adjourn the meeting for such period as considered necessary in the interests of order.
44. No member shall address the Mayor, unless from one of the seats reserved to the use of members.
Deputations
45. The Council may by resolution decide to receive a deputation. Subject to the direction of the Mayor two persons may speak on behalf of the deputation for not more than ten minutes in total.
A request for a deputation to be heard by the Council shall not be considered unless the subject matter to be raised be notified in writing on the motion of a member of the Council, or direct application by the body concerned, sent to the meetings administrator at least seven clear days before the date of the meeting.
The deputation may submit questions and be questioned by members of the Council but shall not be entitled to ask questions or take part in any debate.
When the members of a deputation have addressed the meeting, they shall withdraw from the meeting, without prejudice to the general right of public attendance.
No discussion of the matter which is raised by the deputation shall take place until after the deputation has withdrawn from the meeting. Discussion by members thereafter shall be limited to fifteen minutes.
The Council may, by resolution, decide to receive a deputation without notice, provided at least one-half of the members present vote for the motion.
Not more than one deputation per month shall be permitted to address the Council.
Questions, Votes and Divisions
46. Voting may be:-
1. By voice where it is obvious that the meeting is unanimous with no Councillor dissenting.
2. By a division, i.e. a regular count of the members for or against the motion (or amendment)
3. By a division by electronic means.
4. When a roll-call is being taken members shall vote in alphabetical order of their surnames. Where surnames are identical regard shall be had to alphabetical order of Christian names.
47. Where the Mayor has not formally declared the result of a vote, or is in doubt regarding the result of a vote, a second vote may be taken on the matter, especially if it is felt that through some misunderstanding the first vote did not properly represent the sense of the meeting at that time.
48. Each member present at a meeting of the Council shall have a vote unless prohibited by any enactment or standing order.
Where there is an equality of votes, the Mayor, except where otherwise provided by law shall have a second or casting vote.
49. Without prejudice to any enactment or other provisions of these Standing Orders requiring either the presence of a specified number or proportion of the members or that a specified number or proportion should vote in favour for the doing of any particular act, all acts of the Council which are reserved functions or questions duly coming or arising before a meeting of the Council shall be determined - (a) by a majority of the members present and voting or where there is an equality of votes, by a second or casting vote of the person chairing the meeting.
Attendance of Public and Media
50. The public and representatives of the media are entitled to attend Council meetings subject to the following:
Where the Council is of opinion that the absence of members of the public and representatives of the media from the whole or part of a particular meeting is desirable because of the special nature of the meeting or of an item of business to be or about to be considered at the meeting or for other special reasons, the Council may, by resolution in respect of which, at least one-half of the total number of members vote in favour, decide to meet in committee for the whole
or part of the meeting concerned.
The resolution in this instance shall indicate in a general way the reasons for the resolution and those reasons shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
51. Members of the public and representatives of the media will occupy the parts of the Meeting Room allotted to their use.
The public shall be admitted subject to the following arrangements:
(i) Taking account of available space;
(ii)Observance of rules governing conduct.
52. Members of the public shall be seated and maintain silence and observe any directions given by the Mayor or by any employee in attendance upon the Council. Such employees are responsible for the execution of all measures necessary for the maintenance of order and decorum in and about the Chamber.
If a member of the public interrupts a meeting at any time or endeavours, without the permission of the Council to address a Meeting, the Mayor shall warn him or her and if the interruption continues shall order that person’s removal. In the case of a general disturbance in any part of the Meeting Room open to the public, the person chairing the meeting shall order that part to be cleared.
53. No cameras of any kind or sound recording or communication equipment may be used at meetings of the Council without the prior approval of the Council.
54. The use of mobile phones shall not be permitted at meetings of the Council.
Municipal Policy Committees
55. Municipal Policy Committee or Committees shall consist of members of the Borough Council, nominees of sectoral, community and other interest groups throughout the Borough of Sligo, such sectoral, community and other interest groups having first been selected by the Council in accordance with the relevant guidelines. The number of participants shall be in accordance with “Guidelines for Establishment of and Operation of Strategic Policy Committees”.
56. The Council shall appoint a Chairperson of the Municipal Policy Committee from among the members of the Council to hold office for a minimum period of two years which may be renewed by the Council and subsequent Chairpersons of the Committee shall be appointed by the Council from among Council members of the Municipal Policy Committee.
57. The Chairperson and Council members of the Municipal Policy Committee shall reflect the proportionality and the distribution of elected representation on the Council; in default of agreement the Chairperson and Council members of the Municipal Policy Committee shall be appointed by the formation of groups pursuant to Paragraph 18 of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2001.
58. It shall be the function of a Municipal Policy Committee to consider matters connected with the formulation, development, monitoring and review of policy which relate to the functions of the Borough Council and to advise the Borough Council on those matters.
59. Each Municipal Policy Committee shall meet as often as required, and at least four times a year, to deal with the business assigned to it.
Committees - General
60. The Council may appoint a Special Committee for a specific purpose. When appointing such a Committee it shall at the same time determine the number and names of members to constitute such Committee and shall also fix the quorum which shall not be less than three. The term of office of a Special Committee shall be for a period as the Council may determine when appointing the Committee.
61. Every Special Committee at its first meeting shall appoint a Chairperson from its members and, where practical, fix the day and the hour of future meetings.
62. In the election of Committees, candidates shall be proposed and seconded and if the number so proposed and seconded does not exceed the number of vacancies, those proposed and seconded shall be declared elected. Should the number of those proposed and seconded exceed the number of vacancies a vote shall be taken and the provisions of paragraph 18 of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2001 and the requirements of any other enactment will apply to appointments to committees.
63 Whenever a vacancy occurs in the membership of any Committee of the Council, by reason of the death, resignation or disqualification of a member, such vacancy shall be filled as soon as circumstances permit, by the Council after due notice.
64. In a Committee, a motion or amendment may be proposed without a seconder, and a member may speak more than once to any question, but otherwise the Rules of Order of the Council, so far as they are conveniently applicable, shall govern all proceedings of Committees, and the member in the Chair at any meeting of a Committee shall determine questions of order.
65. Every Committee in the whole of its proceedings shall be governed by the Standing Orders or Resolutions of the Council affecting such Committee.
66. A copy of every Report of a Committee to be submitted to the Council shall, before the submission thereof, be transmitted to every member of the Council at least three days before Council Meetings, save in cases of urgency when reading of the Report to Council shall suffice.
67. Save for meetings of Committees as the local authority may specify from time to time, representatives of the media and the public may be present at meetings of Committees of the Council. When confidential matters are under discussion Committees may decide to exclude such representatives from the meeting or the relevant portion of the meeting.
68. The meetings administrator shall summon a meeting of any Committee at the request of the Chairperson of the Committee, or any three of its members, or whenever the meetings administrator deems it necessary in special circumstances that such Committee shall meet.
69. The Mayor of the Council shall be ex-officio a member of every Committee and every Sub-Committee except those where membership is fixed by Statute.
70. In the absence of the Chairperson of a Committee, the Chair shall be taken by any Council member of the Committee agreed at the meeting.
71. The Chair of each Committee shall be responsible to the Council for the general management of the business entrusted to such Committee.
72. Committees may appoint Sub-Committees from their number to facilitate the transaction of business, who shall report to the Committee, but such Sub Committee shall not have the power to transact any business without express authority from the Committee.
73. The decisions of the Committees of the Council shall not become binding, except where otherwise provided in the Standing Orders, until approved by the Council unless the Council specifically empowers these Committees to deal (without further reference to it) with certain matters, subject to the appropriate legal provisions.
Miscellaneous
74. The local authority may, by resolution, for which at least one half of the total number of members of the authority vote in favour, amend or revoke Standing Orders and make new Standing Orders.
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