BCP Council changes to public questions back to drawing board

It has been confirmed that no equalities impact assessment was conducted over the suggested alterations, which included removing the option for officers to read out a member of the public’s question on their behalf if they cannot attend a meeting.

The planned alterations to BCP Council’s constitution were due to be discussed along with a raft of other revisions at the full council meeting on December 5.

However, audit and governance committee chair Cllr John Beesley said a decision had been made to not ask for approval of the changes associated with public questions, statements and petitions.

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Cllr Beesley said this issue would go back to the cross-party constitutional review working group so the subject could be “considered again together with an equalities impact assessment”.

The Conservative councillor said he believed this would aid the decision-making process around the recommendation for this part of the constitution.

It was also agreed to refer the changes associated to access to documents for overview and scrutiny committee chairs and vice chairs back to the working group after concerns were raised by Cllr Stephen Bartlett.

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Councillors did approved the remaining 16 recommendations which related to separate areas of the constitution.

The proposed changes to public participation also featured restricting a member of the public to one question per an item of business on an agenda and four statements at full council in a municipal year.