The Selection and Member Services Committee of Kent County Council met on Thursday, 7th May 2026, to discuss proposed changes to the council's constitution and meeting procedures. Key decisions included increasing the deadline for submitting questions to council meetings, and a proposal to introduce the Lord's Prayer at the start of meetings was carried, with the caveat that it would be off-camera.

Changes to Meeting Procedures and Question Deadlines

The committee voted to increase the deadline for submitting written questions to County Council meetings from seven days to ten days before the meeting. This change was made to allow cabinet members more time to provide more meaningful answers and to reduce pressure on officers. Councillor Tim Prater argued against the change, stating that the current three-day deadline at his District Council was sufficient and that a ten-day deadline would limit the ability to ask questions about current and urgent matters. However, the proposal was carried.

The committee also discussed reducing the time allocated for opposition groups to respond to the leader's report by one minute. This proposal was met with strong opposition, with Councillor Antony Hook arguing that it would be utterly absurd and significantly reduce the quality of debate and scrutiny. Councillor Andrew Kennedy agreed, stating that the five-minute saving was disproportionate to the damage done to democratic accountability. Councillor Tim Prater noted that the proposal was partisan as it did not reduce the leader's speaking time. Despite these objections, the resolution to decrease opposition response time by one minute was carried.

A proposal for the leader to share a summary of their report ahead of the meeting was discussed. Councillor Hook supported this, stating it would be incredibly helpful for opposition leaders to prepare adequate responses. However, the resolution was not carried.

Introduction of Religious Observances

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the introduction of religious observances at the start and end of council meetings.

The Lord's Prayer: The committee voted to introduce the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of each County Council meeting, with the condition that it would be conducted off-camera. Councillor Andrew Kennedy declared a partial interest due to his husband being an ordained vicar but stated he would oppose the motion as an agnostic, finding it hypocritical to remain in a chamber during a religious service. He argued that religious services should be held in private rooms, not as part of official council business. Councillor Mark Hood echoed this sentiment, highlighting that less than half of Kent's population identifies as Christian and that the council should operate in a wholly secular manner. He also questioned which version of the Lord's Prayer would be used. Councillor Martin Paul argued that the council is a statutory, non-religious body and that starting meetings with prayer was inappropriate and could imply special status for one faith. He also raised concerns about privacy for staff and members who may not wish to disclose their religious beliefs.

However, Councillor Richard Palmer proposed an amendment that the prayers be live broadcast on the webcast. The Monitoring Officer, Petra de Mont, advised that this would be unlawful due to freedom of expression provisions and GDPR, which protect the privacy of religious beliefs. Despite this, an amendment was carried that the Lord's Prayer would be on camera, with members having the right to leave the room.

National Anthem: A proposal to sing the national anthem at the conclusion of each meeting was also debated. Councillor Mark Hood described the proposals as divisive and a distraction from essential council business. Councillor Andrew Kennedy, while stating his patriotism, argued that this was a jingoistic addition that would take time away from scrutiny and democratic processes. Councillor Tim Hood agreed, stating that the council had existed for 135 years without this practice and that it was an odd use of resources. An amendment was proposed and carried that the national anthem would be sung on camera.

Constitutional and Procedural Changes

Several other constitutional and procedural changes were discussed and voted upon:

• Election Spending Returns: The committee voted to request that the Monitoring Officer consider referring individuals with outstanding election expense returns to the police, acknowledging that failure to submit these is a criminal offence.
• Outside Bodies Appointments: Joel Cook, the Democratic Services Manager, provided an update on appointments to outside bodies. While most appointments were progressing, there were still outstanding nominations for the Gabriel Richards Charity, Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee, and Rochester Bridge Trust. The committee agreed to let Mr Cook determine the approach for any outstanding appointments.
• Constitutional Amendments: A number of proposals for constitutional changes were presented by Petra de Mont, the Monitoring Officer.
  • A proposal to alternate the chairmanship of the Council between the ruling group and opposition groups was not carried.
  • An amendment to update the Constitution to explicitly state that ceasing to be part of a political group also means ceasing to be part of a committee where political proportionality applies was agreed.
  • A proposal to amend the Constitution to require that chairing positions be assumed on a politically proportional basis was not carried.
  • The committee agreed to a proposal for the Monitoring Officer, Democratic Services, and Scrutiny Committee members to review the effectiveness of current call-in arrangements for scrutiny and present findings at a future meeting.
  • A proposal to review options for increasing public participation in council meetings was agreed, with a recorded vote requested.
  • The committee voted to amend the Constitution to state that the role of the Council is to seek to ensure the delivery of services to the people of Kent so as to enhance their social and economic well-being.
• Attendance Sheets: The committee unanimously agreed to amend the Constitution to reflect the current practice of the clerk recording members' attendance, rather than requiring a physical signature on an attendance sheet.
• Flag Policy: A proposal to develop a council flag policy was discussed. An amendment was proposed that the decision on flying flags should remain with the Chair of the County Council and be documented in the constitution. This amendment was deferred to the next meeting.

The meeting also included the election of Councillor Martin Paul as Chair and Councillor Spencer Dixon as Vice Chair of the Selection and Member Services Committee.