Issue - meetings

There were no items of urgent business accepted onto the agenda.

At this stage, Councillor Flynn requested that the following notice of motion be accepted as urgent business onto today’s agenda by the Lord Provost:

That the Council agrees that Councillor Houghton be removed from office as the Business Manager.

Councillor Flynn advised that the matter was urgent as he was not aware of the matter in advance of the deadline for notices of motion and in light of the suspension of the Councillor Houghton from the Conservative and Unionist Group he believed that consideration of him continuing in the position as Business Manager was urgent.

The notice of motion was ruled incompetent by the Lord Provost as it did not comply with the terms of Standing Order 5.1 (Removal from Office).

Thereafter, Councillor Flynn moved as a procedural motion, seconded by Councillor Jackie Dunbar:-

That the Council suspend Standing Order 5.1 (Removal of Office).

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion  (22)  -  Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard MEP, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alexander Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll, Noble, Townson and Yuill.

Against the procedural motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Boulton, Cross, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Sellar and Wheeler.

The Council resolved:-

to reject the procedural motion.

In accordance with Standing Order 31.7, Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard MEP, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alexander Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll, Noble, Townson and Yuill  intimated their dissent against the foregoing decision.