The Council (ie all 45 Borough Councillors) meet regularly to determine overall policy and the supporting spending plans. The meetings usually take place in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley, Derbyshire at 7pm and are open to the press and public, unless confidential or exempt items are being considered.
At the start of meetings of the Full Council, the Mayor will invite members of the public to address the Council on any subject to do with the Borough Council, for a maximum of three minutes. A total of 20 minutes is set aside for public speaking. A matter may be rejected if it relates to a subject raised by a member of the public in the previous six months. Details of the rules for the operation of this system are set out in a leaflet "Have Your Say".
Terms you may hear during the meeting:-
1. Mayor/Chairman
The person elected to preside and control discussion at meetings.
2. Deputy Mayor/Vice Chairman
The person elected to deputise in the absence of the Mayor/Chairman.
3. Member
Any person accepted as belonging, with full rights and duties to a Committee/Board.
4. Clerk
This Officer advises the Mayor/Chairman of the meeting on any procedural and legal issues.
5. Secretary
The Officer who is responsible for preparing agendas, preparing for and recording meetings, and following up action on behalf of the Board.
6. Item
A specific piece of business. Most used in the expression "items on the agenda".
7. Motion
A proposal formally put forward or "moved". If carried, it becomes a resolution. Motions do not need to be seconded but by tradition they usually are.
8. Second
To support formally the proposer of a motion or amendment. No motion can be accepted if the proposer fails to find a seconder.
9. Oppose
Being against a motion. The person speaking against a motion is called an opposer.
10. Vote
The method of indicating support or opposition, whether by voice, by show of hands, or by written ballot, on a motion, election to office or any course of action.
11. Casting Vote
The Mayor/Chairman has a second or casting vote where an equal number of votes is cast for and against a motion. The Mayor/Chairman may then, and only then, cast a second vote to decide the issue (or vote for the first time in the case of an initial abstention).
12. Pass
To carry or adopt a proposal or motion, discussed by the Board.
13. Resolution
A resolution is a motion which has been carried.
14. Amendments to Motions
An amendment is a formal proposal to vary the terms of a motion before the latter is adopted by the meeting. The motion in its original form, before the amendment, is known as the original motion. The original motion altered by the amendment is known as the main motion or substantive motion.
15. Substantive Motion
If any amendment is carried, the original motion incorporating the amendment becomes the substantive motion to which any other amendments shall then refer.
16. Order
Used -
(i) in connection with the "order" or sequence of business, and
(ii) when the Chairman intervenes in a discussion and calls the meeting to order.
17. Point of Order
A purely procedural or technical point (to be decided as such by the Mayor/Chairman) which may be raised at any time by any member and which takes precedence over all other business.
18. Minutes
The formal written record of a meeting.
