Rules of debate
13.1 Moving and seconding the motion
- i) Except as provided by this rule, no speeches may be made on a motion until it has been moved and seconded.
- ii) An Elected Member proposing to move a motion shall, on rising, move the motion by stating the terms of the motion without further comment.
- iii) The motion may then be seconded without further comment.
- iv) The Chair shall state the terms of the motion.
- v) The mover of the motion shall open the debate on the motion and subject to rule 13.4 the seconder may reserve their right to speak to later in the debate.
13.2 Right to require a proposed amendment to a motion in writing
Unless notice of the motion has already been given, the Chair may require a proposed amendment to a Motion to be written down and handed to him/her before it is discussed.
13.3 Content and length of speeches
Speeches must be directed to the question under discussion or to a personal explanation or point of order. No speech by the mover of a motion or an amendment may exceed 5 minutes, and no other speech may exceed 3 minutes without the consent of the meeting.
13.4 When an Elected Member may speak again
Except under rule 13.1(v) an Elected Member who has spoken on a motion may not speak again whilst it is the subject of debate, except:
- i) to speak once on an amendment moved by another Elected Member;
- ii) to move a further amendment if the motion has been amended since s/he last spoke;
- iii) if his/her first speech was on an amendment moved by another Elected Member, to speak on the main issue (whether or not the amendment on which s/he spoke was carried);
- iv) in exercise of a right of reply;
- v) on a point of order; and
- vi) by way of personal explanation.
13.5 Amendments to motions
- i) An amendment to a motion must be relevant to the motion, will be moved in accordance with the procedure set out in rule 13.1 and will either be:
- (a) to refer the matter to an appropriate body or individual for consideration or reconsideration;
- (b) to leave out words;
- (c) to leave out words and insert or add others; or
- (d) to insert or add words. as long as the effect of an amendment is not to negate the motion.
- ii) Only one amendment may be moved and discussed at any one time. No further amendment may be moved until the amendment under discussion has been disposed of.
- ii) If an amendment is not carried, other amendments to the original motion may be moved.
- iv) If an amendment is carried, the motion as amended takes the place of the original motion. This becomes the substantive motion to which any further amendments are moved.
- v) After an amendment has been carried, the Chair will read out the amended motion before accepting any further amendments, or if there are none, put it to the vote as the substantive motion.
13.6 Alteration of motion
- i) An Elected Member may alter a motion of which s/he has given notice with the consent of the meeting. The meeting’s consent will be signified without discussion.
- ii) An Elected Member may alter a motion which s/he has moved without notice with the consent of both the meeting and the seconder. The meeting’s consent will be signified without discussion.
- iii) Only alterations which could be made as an amendment may be made.
13.7 Withdrawal of motion
An Elected Member may withdraw a motion which s/he has moved with the consent of both the meeting and the seconder. The meeting’s consent will be signified without discussion. No Elected Member may speak on the motion after the mover has asked permission to withdraw it unless permission is refused.
13.8 Right of reply
- i) The mover of a motion has a right to reply at the end of the debate on the motion, immediately before it is put to the vote.
- ii) If an amendment is moved, the mover of the original motion has the right of reply at the close of the debate on the amendment, but may not otherwise speak on it.
- iii) The mover of the amendment has no right of reply to the debate on his or her amendment but if that amendment becomes the substantive motion s/he has the right of reply at the close of the debate on that motion.
13.9 Motions which may be moved during debate
When a motion is under debate, no other motion may be moved except the following procedural motions:
- i) to withdraw a motion;
- ii) to amend a motion;
- iii) to proceed to the next business;
- iv) that the question be now put;
- v) to adjourn the debate;
- vi) to adjourn the meeting;
- vii) that the meeting continue beyond the time specified by rule 8 for termination of the meeting;
- viii) to exclude the public and press in accordance with the Access to Information Rules; and
- ix) to not hear further an Elected Member named under Rule 19.3 or to exclude them from the meeting under Rule 19.4.
13.10 Closure motions
- i) An Elected Member may move, without comment, the following motions at the end of a speech of another Elected Member:
- (a) to proceed to the next business;
- (b) that the question be now put;
- (c) to adjourn the debate; or
- (d) to adjourn the meeting.
- ii) If a motion to proceed to next business is seconded and the Chair thinks the item has been sufficiently discussed, s/he will give the mover of the original motion a right of reply and then put the procedural motion to the vote.
- iii) If a motion that the question be now put is seconded and the Chair thinks the item has been sufficiently discussed, s/he will put the procedural motion to the vote. If it is passed s/he will give the mover of the original motion a right of reply before putting his/her motion to the vote.
- iv) If a motion to adjourn the debate or to adjourn the meeting is seconded and the Chair thinks the item has not been sufficiently discussed and cannot reasonably be so discussed on that occasion, s/he will put the procedural motion to the vote without giving the mover of the original motion the right of reply on that occasion.
13.11 Point of order
An Elected Member may raise a point of order at any time and shall be heard immediately. A point of order may only relate to an alleged breach of these Procedure Rules or the law. The Elected Member must indicate the rule or law and the way in which s/he considers it has been broken. The ruling of the Chair on the matter will be final.
13.12 Personal explanation
An Elected Member may make a personal explanation at any time and shall be heard immediately. A personal explanation may only relate to some material part of an earlier speech by the Elected Member in the present debate which may appear to have been misunderstood. The ruling of the Chair on the admissibility of a personal explanation will be final.