Voting
15.1 Majority
Unless the law provides otherwise, any matter will be decided by a simple majority of those Elected Members present and voting in the room at the time the question was put.
15.2 Chair’s casting vote
If there are equal numbers of votes for and against, the Chair will have a second or casting vote. There will be no restriction on how the Chair chooses to exercise a casting vote.
15.3 Show of hands
Unless 15.5 applies, the Chair will take a vote by a show of hands, or if there is no dissent, by the affirmation of the meeting. The Chair shall confirm, in the absence of dissent, that this is the unanimous decision of Council.
15.4 Ballot
A ballot shall be taken, if the meeting decides, before the vote is taken on any question. The Chair will announce the numerical result of the ballot immediately the result is known.
15.5 Recorded Vote
For decisions of Full Council, other than where the Chair proceeds with the agreement of the meeting through a show of hands under rule 15.3, the Chair shall ensure that recorded votes are taken. The Proper Officer shall take the vote by calling the names of Elected Members and recording whether they voted for or against the motion or amendment thereto, or did not vote. The minutes will show whether an Elected Member voted for or against the motion or any amendment or abstained from voting.
15.6 Voting on Budget Decisions
Immediately after any vote is taken at a budget decision meeting of an authority there must be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of that meeting the names of the persons who cast a vote for the decision or against the decision or who abstained from voting.
A “budget decision” means a meeting of the authority at which it;
- (i) makes a calculation (whether originally or by way of substitute) in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1982, as amended; or
- (ii) issues a precept under chapter 4 of Part 1 of that Act.
And includes a meeting where making the calculation or issuing the precept as the case may be was included as an item of business on the agenda for that meeting.
15.7 Voting on appointments where there is more than two people nominated
If more than two people are nominated for any position to be filled and there is not a clear majority in favour of one person, then the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be removed from the list and a new vote shall be taken. The process will continue until there is a majority of votes for one person.