COUNCIL members in Newport will be given the opportunity to quiz leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox in a Prime Minister's Questions-style question and answer session after new rules were signed off.

Although Newport City Council members previously had the opportunity to quiz the leader and cabinet members at full council meetings, they were required to submit questions in advance.

But new rules which will allow councillors to quiz Cllr Wilcox without providing details of what they will ask beforehand, with opposition members given priority, were signed off at a council meeting on Tuesday, July 25.

The new system is based on Prime Minister's Questions. Members will be allowed no more than two minutes to put their question to the leader but will be allowed to ask a supplementary question.

The council's Conservative group, Newport Independents Party and the two Liberal Democrat members will be given the chance to ask a question each, in that order, before the floor is opened to all members.

But the total question time session will be no more than 15 minutes long.

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting Cllr Wilcox called the rules "a unique approach".

"We believe there are no open leader's questions in Wales, though there are a few in England," she said.

Leader of the city's Conservative group Cllr Matthew Evans called the new rules "a step in the right direction". But he said he was concerned 15 minutes was not long enough and called for the rules to be extended to council members.

"I think it's fair and proper If they take decisions they should be accountable in the open chamber as well," he said.

The Newport Independents Party included provision in its manifesto ahead of May's Council Election, and leader Cllr Kevin Whitehead said he was pleased to see the promise had been adopted by the authority's leading Labour group.

The rules will apply from the next meeting of the full council, which will be held on Tuesday, September 26.