Standing Rules and Orders of Council
Rule 95: Withdrawing a motion before debate begins
Rule 95(3) lets the proposer or seconder of a motion withdraw it by notifying the Speaker, but only before debate on it starts. Once withdrawn, the motion cannot be debated or amended. In the passage, the Speaker used it to rule that debate would continue because the motion was not withdrawn before discussion began. The passage shows only subrule (3); the rest of Rule 95 is unclear.
Plain-English summary written with AI from how the City's minutes quote and use the rule. The official text is not published by the City.
The rule's own words
(3) 'At any time before the commencement of debate on a motion, the proposer or seconder of such motion may withdraw the motion by notifying the Speaker or Acting Speaker. There shall be no debate or amendments to a withdrawn motion.'
As quoted in the City's signed minutes.
How the minutes record it
The Speaker referred to Rule 95(3) of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council, which states: (3) 'At any time before the commencement of debate on a motion, the proposer or seconder of such motion may withdraw the motion by notifying the Speaker or Acting Speaker.
Signed minutes, Thursday, 29 August 2024