On Timetabling Synod - (a) 7July2008

Synod works to quite tight sets of standing orders. Quite often through the day, people will call for a 'point of order', if they feel business is not running as it should, or if business needs to be kept moving to timetable, (or possibly, occasionally in slightly more maverick ways) to adjust how the business is being conducted in such a way as to gain an advantage.

However, just as in a[n] F1 Grand Prix race (kudos, Lewis...!), cutting a corner and gaining an advantage in a chicane is a shortlived thrill, and sometimes has a penalty to be paid...

There are times however when 'events, dear boy' overtake things. When some 14 amendments to the house of bishops' motion on Women Bishops this afternoon were submitted, it became clear that the 4 hours set aside for the debate probably would not be long enough. Consequently the Business Committee sought to change the order from that previously published, and move Monday evening's business, to allow the Women Bishop's debate and its many ammendments to at least all be debated on the same day. Once a revised proposal is put forward, Synod then has to agree. It did.

It achieved that by postponing some of the less time-sensative legislative business from the morning, and bring the St Albans Diocesan Synod motion (GS Misc 890 A and B : Faith, Work And Economic Life) forward to the late morning.

Alastair Cutting, GS101