The General Purposes Committee of Croydon Council met on Tuesday 14 April 2026 to discuss proposed changes to the Council Procedure Rules, with a particular focus on preparing for potential shifts in the council's political composition following the upcoming local elections. The committee considered recommendations for these proposed changes to be put forward to Full Council.

Proposed Changes to Council Procedure Rules Considered

The committee discussed a series of proposed changes to the Council Procedure Rules (CPRs). These changes are designed to ensure the council can effectively conduct its business and decision-making processes, particularly in light of potential shifts in political representation following the May 2026 local elections.

Key proposals discussed include:

• Written Questions: A new provision for members to submit written questions to the Executive Mayor and Cabinet was discussed. The draft proposals suggest one written question per member per meeting, with questions to be taken in the order they are received, up to a maximum of 35 per meeting. These written questions will be published with the agenda, and responses will be provided before the meeting. Discussions are ongoing regarding the exact allocation mechanism, with a move towards a proportional basis rather than a strict first-come, first-served system. A review of the impact on officer time is also planned within six months.
• Oral Questions to the Executive Mayor and Cabinet: The time allocated for oral questions will increase from 65 minutes to between 75-77 minutes. This time will be apportioned proportionally based on group size, with a minimum of two minutes per question. The session will adopt a rotational format, with the order of rotation decided by the Chair in consultation with political groups. The current provision for members to ask a maximum of two questions, including a supplementary, will remain.
• Council Debate Motions: The allocation of motions for debate will be based on political proportionality over a four-year term, rather than on a meeting-by-meeting basis. This aims to ensure a fairer distribution of opportunities for groups to propose motions.
• Reports Moved for Debate, Amendments, and Referrals Back: Speaking slots for these items will continue to be allocated based on political proportionality.
• Council Tax and Budget Setting Meetings: A more inclusive approach will be adopted for questions at these meetings, ensuring each political group has the opportunity to ask at least one question. The order of questions will be determined by group size, with a slot for ungrouped members. Remaining time will be allocated proportionally. The time for questions to the Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Finance at these meetings will be extended from 15 to 30 minutes.
• Annual Scrutiny Report: This report will now be presented at the council meeting before the Annual Council meeting, with an exception for election years where it will be scheduled for the most appropriate meeting.
• Chair's Discretion: The role of the Chair in managing meeting time and calling speakers to order will be reinforced.

The committee considered these proposed amendments to the Council Procedure Rules for recommendation to Full Council. The Monitoring Officer would be authorised to make minor, non-substantive amendments to ensure consistency across the Constitution.