Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Andrew Howard.

There were no declarations of interest.

A formal request has been received by the Mayor to call an extraordinary meeting of the Council under Part 4A, section 3.1(c) of the Council’s Constitution signed by the following Members:

Cllr Nick McLean

Cllr Daniel Holden

Cllr Hayley Ormrod

Cllr Thomas Barlow

Cllr Adam Bush

Cllr Edward Gretton

Cllr David Simpson

Cllr David Williams

In accordance with the Constitution, the extraordinary meeting will consider the following single item of business as specified in the requisition referred to above:

Whether to resolve to reinstate

·         A full meeting of the Council on 21 April 2021;

• The Healthier Communities and Older People Scrutiny Panel on 26 April 2021;

• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel on 27 April 2021;

• The Overview and Scrutiny Commission on 28 April 2021, and

Whether to resolve to re-arrange the following meetings to take place prior to the Annual Council Meeting,

·           The Health and Wellbeing Board – originally scheduled for 23 March 2021

• The Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations – originally scheduled for 24 March 2021

• Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel – originally scheduled for 29 March 2021

The motion was moved by Councillor McLean and seconded by Councillor Williams.

The Labour amendment as set out in agenda item 4 was moved by Councillor Allison and seconded by Councillor Pritchard.

Councillors Holden, Barlow, Southgate and Kohler spoke in the debate.

The Labour amendment was put to a vote and was carried – votes in favour: 34, votes against: 17, abstentions: 7.

The substantive motion (as amended) was then put to a vote and was carried – votes in favour: 33, votes against: 17, abstentions: 7.

RESOLVED: 

1)            Council agrees that it should be the Council’s usual practice to avoid having meetings during a pre-election period, and that meetings during such periods should only be take place by exception to ensure that Council resources paid for by the taxpayer are not inadvertently used to promote a political party’s campaign during an election period;

2)            Council regrets the decision of the Government not to legislate to allow virtual meeting meetings to continue beyond 7 May which means that meetings would have to take place in confined spaces prior to vulnerable staff or members being fully vaccinated, or lockdown being fully lifted. It therefore endorses the decision to move the Annual Council meeting, and to hold an Extraordinary meeting of the Council on 21 April 2021 for the purposes of considering the Council’s response to violence against women and girls;

3)            Council notes that the High Court is due to consider the question of whether meetings can be held virtually on 21 April although it is not known when the judgment will be available;

4)            Council resolves to reinstate the meetings listed below:

· 26th April Healthier Communities and Older People Scrutiny Panel;

· 27th April Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel;

· 28th April Overview and Scrutiny Commission;

And to schedule a meeting for the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel before 7 May but if before that meeting, the Court case confirms that it is lawful to continue meetings virtually, that rescheduled meeting shall be cancelled and replaced with a meeting to take place before the end of May

5)       Council resolves that new meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations shall be scheduled to be held after the lifting of lock down restrictions on 21 June, unless the Court case confirms that it is lawful to continue to hold meetings virtually in which case those committees should go ahead on the currently scheduled dates, namely (22 June and 9 June respectively);

6)       That in respect of all other meetings, the Council considers a revised calendar at the annual meeting on 21 April.