CS-2
there
2 -
has not been welcome support for these principles from a number of quarters. The question before us today is Co decide, having listened to criticism. and advice whether We are prepared to proceed with the Second Reading of the Bill, doing so in the knowledge that we stick to the principles but make sufficient, and is
cases substantial
amendments and deletione to take account of the legitimate concerns which have been expressed.
of
SHOS
There is another Teason why we peed to proceed with this legislation at this time, before the new Council meets in the Autumn. We stand now at the
begiraing OF a process
constitutional change starting with the election of
of 24 Members to this
Council next September but although the process of Constitutional change has begun the responsibilities of the Council a whole will not change. Those responsibilities, primarily the passing of all necessary legislation and the appropriation of funds for public purposes, are already defined. But, as the Council acquires an elected element, the responsibilities placed upon its individual members will indeed change, for those members will be directly accountable to the community for the adequate and proper fulfilment of their duties in the Council.
It
is to ensure that the future members of this Council have before them, when they take office, a statement of /powers and protection they have, so as to be able to meet their obligations and responsibilities to the community, and so as to ensure that the community can be satisfied that its representatives have sufficient powers with which to protect not their own individual interests but those of the community they serve; that why it is necessary now to set down in law a clear statement of those powers,
1: