Councillors will have to continue to stand when speaking in Cornwall Council’s chamber at full council meetings – even though chairs screwed to the floor make it difficult and microphones can’t cope with taller debaters.

It had been suggested the rules for taking part in council meetings should change but these have been dismissed by councillors.

The council’s constitution and governance committee considered a number of possible changes to council procedure rules at a meeting last week.

Councillors are required to stand in the council chamber when addressing a meeting of full council, unless they are unable to do so.

The leaders of political groups at Cornwall Council, when asked, said they felt standing in council meetings was part of the “culture and tradition” of council meetings.

At the committee meeting Councillor John Conway said the fixed chairs caused problems and felt the rule should be removed: “I think standing to speak is an archaic position.”

Christopher Wells disagreed: “I understand both sides of the argument but (standing) does produce a bit of discipline for the way a meeting is conducted.”

Paul Wills agreed with Cllr Conway, saying: “It is an outdated way for us to conduct a meeting when you look at other councils, the majority of them have everyone seated, just like the committee meeting here today.”

Many councillors criticised the chairs in the council chamber. It was also highlighted that some taller councillors are unable to be heard on the microphones.

Council officer Anita Searby told councillors some of the equipment in the chamber was considered to be at the end of its life and there were plans to update it, but these had been delayed due to issues in sourcing the equipment required.

She confirmed the changes would include the introduction of an electronic voting system in the chamber – at present councillors vote by a show of hands or by a roll call if a vote is recorded.

The committee agreed to make no changes to the rule on standing.

All the recommendations from the committee were due to be put before a meeting of the full council in Truro yesterday for approval.