The Constitution and Governance Committee of Cornwall Council met on Tuesday 6 January 2026 to discuss several key procedural and policy matters. The committee approved changes to Council Procedure Rule 12, allowing for more motions to be debated at Council meetings, and recommended that the term Chairman be replaced with Chair throughout council documents to promote inclusivity. Additionally, the committee recommended that elected members be provided with guidance on using mobile phones and the Microsoft Teams Voice-Activated Directory to improve constituent engagement.

Review of Council Procedure Rule 12 - Motions on Notice

The committee recommended to Council that Council Procedure Rule 12.4 be amended to allow more motions to be debated. Under the proposed changes, motions relating to executive functions will be advisory and will not bind the Cabinet or individual Cabinet Members, but will inform their future decisions. Advisory motions concerning non-executive functions may be considered and approved by the Council or referred to the relevant committee for detailed consideration, again serving to inform future recommendations rather than bind them. If a motion is not dealt with at a Council meeting, it will be referred to the Cabinet or the relevant committee. Consequently, Council Procedure Rule 12.5 will be amended to ensure that the Cabinet, individual Cabinet Member, or committee must report back to the Council within six months of a vote on an advisory motion.

To support effective agenda management, the committee also recommended parameters including closing meetings at 6:00 pm, ensuring statutory business is the first item, allocating up to three hours for motions, and giving the Chairman discretion to order motions in consultation with Group Leaders. Authority was delegated to the Monitoring Officer to draft appropriate wording for these constitutional changes. A placeholder has been added to the committee's work programme to review these changes after twelve months of operation.

Use of 'Chairman'

The committee resolved to recommend a change in terminology, replacing the term Chairman with Chair throughout council documents. A note will be included in the Constitution stating: Where legislation refers to ‘Chairman’, the Council interprets this as ‘Chair’ for the purposes of equality and diversity, except where the statutory term must be used for legal compliance. The committee will also review the Local Government Act 1972 to consider making representations to the government regarding the reform and updating of the use of the term Chairman, adding this to its work programme. This change aims to promote inclusivity and align with the Council's commitments under the Public Sector Equality Duty¹.

Provision of Mobile Phones or a Second Sim Card to Elected Members

The committee recommended to the Cabinet Member for Resources that elected members receive appropriate training and guidance on mobile phone usage, including the Microsoft Teams Voice-Activated Directory, to assist them in engaging with constituents. Furthermore, the committee recommended that the methods by which members can obtain a second phone or SIM card for accessibility, mental health, or safeguarding needs be better publicised. This recommendation stems from a motion proposed at Council in September 2025. The report highlighted that while council staff have access to a Council-managed smartphone, and elected members can use the Microsoft Teams Voice Activated Directory, there is a need for clearer guidance and better communication regarding available support.