Unruly councillors, who disrupt Council meetings, could soon be suspended and have their expenses docked.
Galway City Council is considering new rules to rein-in “disorderly” elected members.
Though there have been no recent meetings abandoned, it has happened in the past, and city councillors have developed a reputation for squabbling and infighting.
Now, new Standing Orders – the rules of how Council meetings are conducted – propose a tough stance towards those elected members deemed to be causing disorder and disrupting meetings, by reducing their remuneration.
Irregular, improper or offensive behaviour by councillors could also result in suspension, if two-thirds of the 18 elected members decide.
The new rules would allow for the first time for the mayor to “adjourn the meeting if he/she deems appropriate” if a councillor who has been asked to leave the chamber refuses to do so.
The proposed new rules state: “Where at a meeting it has been resolved that a councillor leave a meeting and the Cathaoirleach adjourns the meeting because the councillor refuses to leave and it has been resolved by further resolution that the councillor was the cause of the meeting being so adjourned, then any remuneration to, and any allowances for expenses incurred, by that councillor concerned, as provided for by regulations shall be reduced for the period of 12 months (irrespective of whether or not a local election is to be held during that period) from the date of the meeting concerned . . .”
Another proposed standing order adds: “Where, following the Cathaoirleach expressing the further opinion that the councillor has continued to be disorderly by disregarding the ruling of the Cathaoirleach, or by behaving irregularly, improperly or offensively or by otherwise obstructing the business of the meeting and the Cathaoirleach has conveyed such further opinion to the councillors present by naming the councillor concerned, it has been resolved further by at least two-thirds of the full Council, on a motion moved by the Cathaoirleach or any councillor that for a specific period ‘the councillor shall stand suspended with immediate effect from all meetings of the local authority and any committee of the local authority . . .”
If councillors feel that it is the mayor or deputy mayor who is disorderly, then they can be removed from the meeting with a vote of two-thirds of councillors, according to the plans under consideration.
It adds: “The Council may by resolution remove from office of mayor or deputy mayor for stated misbehaviour or if his or her removal appears to it to be necessary for the effective performance by the local authority of its functions and such removal may also be for those reasons arising from the performance of his or her duties as chair of the corporate policy group.”
This is one of more than 100 new Standing Orders being considered by Galway City Council.
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