Nottinghamshire County Council has moved to change how its meetings are run, with new plans aiming to speed up decision-making processes. The council’s Governance and Ethics Committee agreed to the proposed updates on 22 April 2026, and the changes are now awaiting a final vote by the full council.
The plans were developed by a Member Working Group tasked with reviewing the Nottinghamshire County Council constitution to ensure meetings are more efficient and business-like. If approved, the new rules would reduce the time allowed for council questions from 60 minutes to 45 minutes and cut the time limit for motions from 60 minutes to 45 minutes.
A significant change included in the proposal is the removal of verbal supplementary questions during meetings. Instead, councillors would be required to submit any follow-up questions in writing within five working days after a meeting and wait for a written response.
The chair of the committee, Councillor Wendy Lukacs, stated that the changes are intended to modernize the decision-making process. She explained that the goal is to ensure full and high-quality responses to questions and to free up time for more members to speak during meetings. Other supporters of the plan, including Councillor James Walker-Gurley and Councillor Paul Brill, argued that the current format can be used to create theatrical moments rather than focusing on the council’s £1.6 billion budget and essential business.
The proposals have faced strong opposition from Conservative councillors. Councillor Neil Clarke described the changes as cowardly, while Councillor Bruce Laughton labelled the move as anti-democratic and anti-accountability. A similar attempt to change these rules failed in March 2026 when Reform councillor Hana John voted against her own group’s stance, tipping the vote . Reform UK currently holds a majority on the council, with 40 out of 66 seats.
The final decision on whether to adopt these constitutional updates will be made by the full council at a later date.
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