Explanatory Statement
Contents
1. By resolution 33/01 the Synod requested that the Standing Committee review the business rules in the Conduct of the Business of Synod Ordinance 2000 (the "Principal Ordinance") and bring to the 1st session of the 46th Synod an amending ordinance to implement any changes it thinks are appropriate.
2. The proposed Conduct of the Business of Synod Amendment Ordinance 2002 proposes 4 types of amendment to the business rules.
Deletion of the committee to make recommendations about matters referred to in the Presidential Address
3. Business rule 3.2(g) requires that the Synod elect a committee to make recommendations about matters referred to in the Presidential Address. However the rules do not specifically say what the committee is to do. The proposed ordinance contemplates that the committee be abolished. The committee did not make any recommendations at the Synod session in 2001 and, it is understood, it did not meet. The abolition of the committee does not prevent the Synod from appointing ad hoc committees from time to time to deal with matters referred to in the Presidential Address should it wish to do so.
Amendments to require notice of other motions to be given orally
4. By reason of amendments made to the Principal Ordinance in the committee stage notices of motions (other than procedural motions) are now not given orally. Rather, at the appropriate point in the order of business, members are invited to give written notice to the Secretaries.
5. One consequence of this process is that members do not receive notice about a motion until they see the motion on the business paper the next day. Some members have said that this did not give them sufficient time to consider the motions appearing on the business paper for the first time before the call over of the motions.
6. It is proposed to amend clauses 3.2(k) and 3.3(g) to require that members give oral notice of other motions. This is in accordance with the request of the Synod in resolution 31/01.
Amendments to allow members to vote "Aye" instead of "Yes" in support of a motion
7. The business rules provide that when a vote is to be taken on the voices those supporting a motion are to be indicate their support by saying "yes". By resolution 31/01 the Synod indicated that it preferred that members say "aye" rather than "yes". The proposed ordinance amends the relevant business rules accordingly.
Amendment to ordinance procedures
8. It is proposed to make 2 changes to the ordinance procedures-
(a) It is proposed to amend rule 5.3(2) to make it clear that the motion referred to in that clause is only a motion by which the Synod agrees to consider passing the proposed ordinance formally. Rule 5.3(3) will also be amended as a consequence.
(b) It is also proposed to amend rule 5.3(4) to make it clear that if consideration of a proposed ordinance does not proceed by the formal route, a motion to approve the bill in principle can be moved immediately after the motion for the introduction of the proposed ordinance has been passed. This is merely to clarify the procedure adopted at the 2001 session of the Synod.
Recommendation
9. The Standing Committee recommends that Synod pass the bill as an ordinance.
For and on behalf of the Standing Committee
MARK PAYNE
Diocesan Secretary
14 August 2002