Plans to limit number of questions councillors can ask

Previously members were able to submit up to two questions each in advance of Staffordshire County Council’s full council meetings.

Answers were submitted in written form on the day of the meeting, with an opportunity also given for a supplementary question to be asked at the session.

The proposed changes to the members’ questions scheme will limit the questions to one per member per meeting, in a move that is said to allow more councillors have their queries answered at the full meeting.

The move has been backed by members of the council’s audit and standards committee, who have been told that councillors will still be able to ask questions during the leader’s statement at full meetings too.

A report to the audit and standards committee said: “The change will ensure that each member has a better chance of being able to successfully put forward a question at each meeting.

"It would guarantee that 15 members are allowed to submit a question at each meeting whereas under the current maximum the number of members able to submit a question can be limited by those members who choose to submit two questions.

“The change proposed should not reduce the ability of members to either obtain information, or to hold the executive to account, as members would still have a range of other routes to seek answers to questions, e.g. by writing to the portfolio member or officer, by raising the matter under the leader’s statement.”