CB.13:5.2 - Consultation does not turn into a ballot

The owner of a small discussion venue is authorised to choose its opening hours within a funded staffing arrangement. They invite regular users to explain which of two schedules supported by the available staffing they can use, stating the decision-maker, closing date for input and the need to preserve accepted access commitments.

Most replies favour the later schedule. An affected group’s response shows that it would exclude them despite a separately accepted access commitment. The owner chooses the earlier schedule, explains the constraint and arranges a review when staffing changes. The consultation returned useful information and an intelligible decision; it did not promise that the most popular reply would bind the owner.

If the owner had announced a binding vote under a valid member decision rule, the same unilateral choice would need a different disposition. The declared and effective arrangement changes what counts as a proper decision.