A LEADING district councillor has questioned why East Devon District Council officers amended a recommendation agreed upon by councillors regarding public speaking at committees.
Currently, there is no requirement for any question at the committees to be in writing, nor is the subject of the question restricted.
However in October after a discussion on public speaking, councillors on the Standards Committee made the recommendation that "where possible" questions not related to a topic listed on the agenda, should be submitted in writing two days before.
A supplementary question is then permitted.
However on the agenda for this month's cabinet meeting, the words "where possible" had been omitted. A note on the agenda stated that council officers had made this "more detailed" recommendation to allow members preparation time. They added that this should in turn be of greater benefit to the public as responses given will be "well considered and researched".
The recommendation means that all questions not related specifically to agendas will have to be submitted in writing two clear working days in advance.
Councillor Claire Wright, Independent ward member for Ottery St Mary, claims the new rule means the committee chairman would be able to "avoid" answering questions.
"This new rule of course would conveniently avoid any embarrassing questions that committee chairmen would rather not answer," she said.
"I was baffled and angry when I read the cabinet papers and discovered that the recommendations agreed by the Standards Committee in October relating to public speaking rights, were been subtly altered and mean considerable restrictions in public speaking at committees.
"How is it, that clear recommendations agreed by a committee can be overturned and subtly changed, but with significant detrimental implications for democracy?"
The recommendations do not include the Development Management Committee, which is due to debate new speaking arrangements for its committee next month.
Cabinet members were due to agree the recommendations on public speaking at their meeting on Wednesday, November 27.
