Croydon Council is set to introduce written questions for its Executive Mayor and Cabinet as part of significant revisions to its Council Procedure Rules. The changes, approved by the General Purposes Committee, aim to enhance efficiency, transparency, and fairness in council meetings.
Under the new rules, councillors will be able to submit one written question per meeting, with a total of 35 written questions to be considered each session. These questions must be submitted 15 working days in advance, allowing for written responses to be published with the agenda. This lead time is intended to give departments sufficient opportunity to research and formulate comprehensive answers. Following the written response, councillors may then ask a supplementary question or pose a new one during the meeting itself.
This new system is designed to accommodate longer, more complex questions in writing, reserving the meeting time for shorter, more focused discussions. For specific meetings, such as those concerning council tax and budget setting, public questions submitted in writing must focus on the budget proposal papers.
The allocation of these written questions will be based on political proportionality, ensuring representation across different political groups. The precise calculations for this proportionality are detailed within the Council Procedure Rules (CPRs), with explanations and illustrations provided as endnotes at the bottom of the document. A formal review of the revised Council Procedure Rules will be undertaken after two ordinary council meetings to assess their effectiveness.
Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, Chair of the General Purposes Committee, presided over the meeting where these changes were discussed and approved. The revisions are part of a broader effort to update the council's procedural rules, which have been developed over several years by the Constitutional Working Group. A review of the written question system, including its impact on officer time, is scheduled to take place within six months of its implementation. This review will also consider the overall effectiveness of the new rules.
Written questions will be subject to the same provisions for rejection as oral questions, meaning they must pertain to council business and be factually accurate. The intention is that written responses published with the agenda, or via a supplementary agenda, will be recorded in the minutes, ensuring a clear record of the information provided.
