Argyll and Bute Council Constitution - 9. The powers and duties of the Provost

1. At all times, Members of the Council will respect the authority of the Provost. If the Provost speaks, any Member who is speaking to the Meeting will stop. (CS)
    
2. The Provost’s duty is to preserve order and ensure that Members are given a fair hearing by the Council.  If two or more Members try to speak at the same time, the Provost will decide who is to speak first. (CS)
    
3. The Provost will decide all matters of order, competency, relevancy and urgency and that ruling will be final. (CS)

What might happen if a Member misbehaves

4. If a Member persistently misbehaves by disregarding rulings by the Provost, or behaves improperly or offensively, or wilfully obstructs the business of the Council, the Provost may take any of the following courses of action either separately or in sequence:– (CS)
    
   1. Warn the Member about his/her behaviour; 
       
   2. Tell the Member not to speak during the remainder of the debate on the item being discussed; 
       
   3. Move that the Member should not speak again during the meeting.  The motion will not require to be seconded, and will be decided without discussion; if the motion is carried the Member will not speak again during that meeting;
       
   4. Move that the Member should be suspended for the remainder of the meeting.  The motion will not require to be seconded, and will be decided without discussion; if the motion is carried the Member will leave the meeting immediately;
       
   5. Adjourn the meeting for a short time as seems reasonable to the Provost in the circumstances.
       
5. If there is disorder at any meeting of the Council, the Provost will be entitled to adjourn the meeting to another time the same day, or to another date and time as she/he may decide then or afterwards, and leaving the Chair in these circumstances will mean that the meeting is adjourned immediately. (CS)