To receive questions from members of the public.

Standing Orders require this item to be listed on the agenda but exceptionally at this meeting the questions will stand referred to the appropriate office holders once appointed.

The Chairman dealt with these two items together.

He advised Members that both items were listed on the agenda in accordance with the Constitution.  He reminded Council that both the Chief Executive and the County Secretary and Solicitor had advised on previous occasions that the Council's Constitution should be used to facilitate the business of Council rather than to obstruct.  He also said that an additional Council meeting had been held on 25th April, 2003 to avoid a situation where the incoming administration would be asked to be accountable for decisions taken prior to the election.  He understood that there was a tacit understanding that questions would not be asked at the annual meeting of Council following an election.  He said that if the Council could not self-regulate on this point he would ask the Constitutional Review Working Group to consider exempting Standing Orders 4.24 and 4.25 from inclusion on the agenda of the Annual Meeting first following an election.  He ruled that the questions as set out in Appendix 4 would stand referred to the appropriate office holders for written responses under Standing Order 4.25.4.  (Note:  For completeness copies of the answers provided after the meeting have been included.)

He expressed concern that a question had been raised by a member of the public and undertook to write personally to her to explain the difficulty the Council faced in dealing with her question in the usual way.  (Note:  For completeness a copy of the question and answer is included at Appendix 5.)

The Chief Executive read the following question from Councillor Short which had been addressed to the Chairman.

"Is the Chairman of Council aware of the concerns expressed by Hereford City Council regarding instructions given to depart from existing custom and practice and refrain from flying:

The National flag of Scotland November 30th

The National flag of Wales March 1st

The Hereford Flag March 31st

from Hereford Town Hall and will he explain on whose authority were such instructions given and will he give an assurance that in future these flags will be flown in accordance with long established tradition?"

The Chairman said he thought it was extraordinary that a question of this nature was asked at Council before other avenues had been exhausted as it trivialised the business of the Council and could potentially damage the reputation of both the Hereford City Council and this Council.  He confirmed that a schedule of dates was the subject of correspondence between the Town Clerk of the then Hereford Town Council and the Chief Executive of Herefordshire Council culminating in a letter of 18th August, 2000 from the Chief Executive to the Town Clerk.  The requested confirmation of that schedule was never received.  However the Chairman confirmed that all the dates listed were on the schedule and the relevant flag should be flown on that day.  No further correspondence had been received from the Town Clerk by either the Chief Executive or the County Secretary and Solicitor.  However there was correspondence involving the Mayor of Hereford relating to the flying of the Hereford City flag on 31st March.  Agreement was reached that the Herefordshire flag and not the Hereford City flag would be flow on that day.  This was explained to the Mayor.  The Herefordshire flag was flown, but not from the Town Hall and this omission has been explained and will be rectified.  The Chairman confirmed that flags would be flown in accordance with the agreed schedule subject to the relevant flags being available.

Councillor Short said he had been asked to raise the matter at the last meeting of the City Council and asked for the Chairman's assurance that those responsible for flying flags would be given the agreed schedule.  The Chairman said he had already given the necessary assurances.