Council

Items of business at a typical Council meeting (with the exception of Budget Council and Annual Council) include:   Topical Statements – There is an opportunity for each of the Party Groups to submit a request that the Leader of the Council or the appropriate Executive Member make a statement on some topical issue.   Petitions - Councillors are able to present petitions that they have received from local residents.  The petitions are usually referred to the appropriate Committee for consideration but, on occasions, may be discussed at the meeting.  It is also possible for a member of the public to present a petition and to speak for a maximum of five minutes on the petition.   Motions – Members may formally raise a matter which they wish to have considered by submitting a motion.   Up to two Motions may be debated per Council meeting, one of which is been put forward by the Opposition.  Any other Motions submitted will be referred to the body indicated by the proposer and seconder.   Questions - There is a thirty minute period of Questions, which provides an opportunity for Councillors to put questions to leading Members on matters of interest or concern.  Questions are submitted in advance and the questioner may put a supplementary question, if he or she wishes.  

There will usually be a range of other business to be considered at Council meetings such as:

(a)          approving or adopting the policy framework and the budget;

(b)          being a forum for debate on policy issues;

(c)          providing opportunities for debate on matters that are not necessarily within the Council’s responsibilities but impact on the Borough or a significant number of residents of the Borough and where, at the Council’s discretion, representatives of other agencies (e.g. the Police, the Health Authority, the GLA) may also be asked to address the Council or present proposals and/or answer questions;

(d)          changes to the Constitution;  

(e)           the appointment of Councillors and others to various bodies; and

(f)           all other matters which, by law, must be referred to Council.   In February or March each year the Budget Meeting of the Council is held to set the Council Tax for the year.    The Annual meeting of the Council is usually held in May when the Mayor for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is installed for the year and when members are appointed to Council committees and other responsibilities.