Mayor of Hadleigh Frank Minns has denied the controversial changes to rules governing its council meetings will prevent questions from councillors or stifle debate.

Changes to the town council's standing orders were voted through last Thursday by members of Hadleigh Together, while only Independent councillor Andrew Knock spoke and voted against, their implementation.

The new rules were criticised by members of the public who fear decisions will be taken behind closed doors without public consultation or input and lead to a lack of openness and transparency.

One particular paragraph, which has been added to the standing orders in a move believed to be unprecedented among local authorities within the UK, reads:

the subject at hand. Councillors should, however, be prepared to change that view as a result of listening to contributions made by other councillors. With the consent of the chair, a question may be put if information emerges during a contribution by a councillor that was not covered in the supporting paperwork.

Former councillor Angela Wiltshire told Nub News she was concerned some of the changes would prevent councillors asking questions during the meeting while discussing agenda items and breach Human Rights. (full story here...)

However, Cllr Minns hit back and insisted that while contributions should not normally include questions, they do not forbid them or establishes that councillors will not be able express their view.

Cllr Minns said: "There is also nothing in the new rules which prevents councillors expressing in public session what they think of the supporting papers, and so enabling the people of Hadleigh to get the gist - whether from a supportive or critical angle - without ploughing through what is often an awful lot of material."

He also dismissed the notion that Article 10 of the Human Rights had been breached in any way and said: "I do not consider that the right of free expression is in any way abridged."

The mayor also denied that decisions would be made by councillors by email exchange away from public scrutiny.

"Decisions can be made only in full council," said Cllr Minns, "and it is a misrepresentation to say that email is now being used for this purpose.

"The information required to reach an informed decision is available to all councillors and they are fully entitled to ask any questions they have, to prepare themselves in advance, of other councillors or staff.

"They can then say at the meeting what their view is - nothing in the changes prevents that. It is simply wrong to say otherwise. They are also fully entitled to make public that they find the answers to their questions unsatisfactory, and the council meeting is the right place for this.

"If any other councillor raises a point new to them during a contribution, they are also fully entitled to ask a question about it. The parallels to the ultimate paradigm of political debate, the House of Commons, are clear."

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