Bishopton Community Council: Standing Orders

Bishopton Community Council – Standing Orders

1. MEETINGS:

(a) Ordinary Meetings of the Community Council shall be held in the months of September to June inclusive, with an Annual General Meeting in October. Special Meetings may be called at any time on the instructions of the Chair of the Community Council or on the request of not less than one-half of the total number of Community Councillors, which Special Meeting shall be held within fourteen days of the receipt of the request made to the Secretary of the Community Council.

(b) The Notice of Ordinary and Special Meetings of the Community Council shall be given to each Community Councillor by the Secretary at least seven days before the date fixed for the meeting.

2. MINUTES

Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the Community Council shall be drawn up within fourteen days, distributed to Community Councillors, local Renfrewshire councillor(s), Renfrewshire Council’s Community Council Liaison Officer and other relevant bodies, shall be approved at the next Meeting of the Community Council by the person presiding thereat and retained for future reference, in both hard-copy and electronic versions.

3. QUORUM

A quorum shall consist of one-third of the total membership of the Community Council or a minimum of three, whichever is the greater.

4. ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of Business at every meeting of the Community Council shall be as follows:

(a) Recording of membership present and apologies received;

(b) Approval of the Minutes of the last meeting of the Community Council;

(d) Treasurer’s report;

(e) Correspondence received and sent;

(f) Planning report;

(g) Roads report;

(h) Any other business which the Chair has directed should be considered;

(i) Any other competent business;

(j) Questions from the floor.

During public meetings, items (c) to (g) may be left over to the next ordinary meeting. In addition to the above, the Annual General Meeting shall include:

(a) A report from the Chair summarizing the activities of the Community Council over the past year, and any work ”in progress“;

(b) A report from the Secretary summarizing the attendance record of Community Councillors, and of any correspondence still to be resolved;

(c) A report from the Treasurer summarizing the sources of Community Council funding and the uses to which these funds have been put;

(d) An invitation from the Chair to those members of the public attending the meeting to air matters of concern to them;

(e) An invitation to the meeting to hear nominations for the appointment of Office Bearers, and

(f) Voting for (as appropriate) and recording of the results of voting for the appointment of Office Bearers. Nominations for Office Bearers should be advised to the Secretary seven days prior to the AGM.

Members of the public attending any meeting of the Community Council, including the Annual general Meeting, shall be entitled to remain for the full duration of the meeting.

5. ORDER OF DEBATE

(a) The Chair shall decide all questions of order, relevancy and competency arising at meetings of the Community Council and his/her ruling shall be final and shall not be open to discussion. In particular, the Chair shall determine the order, relevancy and competency of all questions from the public in attendance at meetings of the Community Council raised at (j) above. The Chair in determining the order, relevance and competency of business and questions shall have particular regard to the relevance of the issue to the community and ensure that the discussion and proceedings are conducted in such a manner that decisions are reached in a democratic manner. The Chair shall have the power, in the event of disorder arising at any meeting, to adjourn the meeting to a time he/she may then or afterwards fix.

(b) Every motion or amendment shall be moved and seconded.

(d) A motion or amendment once made and seconded shall not be withdrawn without the consent of the mover and seconder thereof.

(e) A motion or amendment which is contrary to a previous decision of the Community Council shall not be competent within six months of that decision.

6. VOTING

(a) Voting shall be taken by a show of hands of those present and eligible to vote.

(b) The Chair of a meeting of the Community Council shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote.

7. APPLICATION OF STANDING ORDERS

These Standing Orders may be altered or added to at any time by the Community Council provided that notice of motion to that effect is given at the meeting of the Community Council previous to that at which the motion is discussed.

8. SUB-COMMITTEES

The Community Council may appoint such Sub-committees at it may from time to time decide and shall determine their composition, terms of reference, duration, duties and powers.

9. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

These Standing Orders shall not be suspended except at a meeting at which three-quarters of the total number of Community Councillors are present and then only if the mover states the object of his motion and if two-thirds of the Community Councillors present consent to such suspension.

10. ELECTION OF COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Where the number of elected Community Councillors is below the maximum allowed, additional members may be elected through the following routes:

(a) In accordance with the interim election process as laid down by Renfrewshire Council Procedure for Community Council Elections (dated August 2002); or

(b) Where an individual has expressed an interest in Community Council membership, by receipt of a valid Nomination Form (Form No. 2) by the Community Council, followed by publication of a Notice of Uncontested Election (Form No.4).