Less time for speeches at future council meeting
Speeches at Powys County Council are to be shortened, in a bid to speed up meetings.
At its meeting on Monday, October 19, the democratic services committee recommended that speech times should be shortened to five and two minutes.
Some other changes were also introduced including motions for discussion at council meetings will need to be submitted six days in advance.
Any proposals to changes motions will need to be submitted three days before the meeting.
A review of the length of council meetings was carried out across Wales between October 2018 and March 2019.
Powys’s meeting times ranged from two hours and 54 minutes to six hours and 19 minutes, The average length in Wales, is two hours and 39 minutes.
Councillor Jackie Charlton had looked at the times that recent meetings for Monmouthshire, Suffolk and Hertfordshire councils have taken.
She believed that compared to those, Powys meeting times were average.
Councillor Charlton said: “It’s the only opportunity that councillors have to speak on behalf of their ward.
Presentations
“What we’re doing is saying that members make these meetings longer, but there’s actually a mix of things.”
She pointed out that the time it takes for reports and presentations made by officers, members of the cabinet and council leader, as well as discussing the motions, all add up.
Councillor Charlton said trying to make the meetings more efficient will be ”taking away from the democratic process.”
Councillor Sarah Williams said the chairing of meetings needs to be stronger, while Councillor Roger Williams said amendments make the meeting longer and there should be more discipline.
Head of legal and democratic services, Clive Pinney said that these are had to be presented in writing by 5pm the day before the meeting but minor amendments can be made during the course of the debate.
Political groups will also be reminded that they should nominate specific councillors to speak on certain issues at meetings.
This was adopted last year and had not been used.
A trial period of three meetings is suggested – excluding the annual meeting , and will need to be agreed by councillors at their next ordinary council meeting.
