Issue - meetings

At the last Committee (19/23/CIV) Councillor Katie Porrer submitted a written request for officers to investigate this issue of proxy voting at local authority committee meetings. The report from the Democratic Services Manager answered that request.

Councillor Porrer raised the following points:

       i.          Welcomed the City Council writing to the Local Government Association.

     ii.          Expressed disappointment that proxy voting was currently illegal for councils.

   iii.          Requested an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation requesting that such a sheme should  cover shared parental leave.

The Committee agreed to amend the Officer recommendation to reflect the additional request.

The Democratic Services Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          Noted Councillors willingness for the City Council to pilot any future scheme for local government.

     ii.          It was difficult to predict when the legislation would be introduced as it was unlikely to be a Government priority..

Unanimously resolved to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Local Government Association requesting that it raises with Government the equality issue raised in this report and whether it should consider introducing this for local government meetings.