MEETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES (Hansard, 18 June 1973)

§ Mr. Younger
I beg to move Amendment No. 68, in page 162, line 6, at end insert: 'except where the matter which is the subject of the vote relates to the appointment to any particular office or committee in which case the decision shall be by lot'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this it would be convenient to discuss Amendment No. 82, in Clause 62, page 34, line 39, leave out subsection (2).

§ Mr. Younger
These amendments have been inserted at the request of the Association of County Councils. Although in normal circumstances the chairman for the time being of any meeting is to have a deliberative as well as a casting vote, it is better that he should not have a casting vote when what is under discussion is an appointment of some kind in the gift of the authority. It could be, for example, that the chairman might have to give a casting vote on whether he should himself be nominated or appointed to a particular office or job.

§ Mr. Younger
I beg to move Amendment No. 69, in page 162, line 10, Schedule 7, leave out 'and entered in a book kept for that purpose'.
I accepted at the 28th sitting of the Committee an Amendment by my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) to remove the requirement that local authorities should enter minutes in a book kept for that purpose. A promise was given to consider whether any change in the wording was needed to ensure that authorities did keep some record of their minutes.
On further examination it is clear that the requirements in Schedule 7 that the minutes shall be drawn up and signed, and the need to have them available for production under Clause 195, provide sufficient safeguard against any authority failing to keep the necessary records.