Our elected body are seeking your feedback on this revised Code of Meeting Practice which guides and governs the delivery of Council meetings. This policy was recently adopted in April 2022, however some administrative changes were required to be made to increase the efficiency of producing the business papers to the councillors and members of the public.

The Elected body have proposed the following key changes for revision:

Giving Notice of Business to be Considered at Council Meetings

3.9 A Councillor may give notice of any business they wish to be considered by the Council at its next ordinary meeting by way of a notice of motion. To be included on the agenda of the meeting, the notice of motion must be in writing and must be submitted eight business days before the meeting is to be held.

3.11 If the Chief Executive Officer considers that a notice of motion submitted by a councillor for consideration at an ordinary meeting of the council has legal, strategic, financial or policy implications which should be taken into consideration by the meeting, the chief executive officer may prepare a report in relation to the notice of motion for inclusion with the business papers for the meeting at which the notice of motion is to be considered by the council.

3.12 A notice of motion for the expenditure of funds on works and/or services other than those already provided for in the council’s current adopted operational plan must identify the source of funding for the expenditure that is the subject of the notice of motion. If the notice of motion does not identify a funding source, the chief executive officer must either:

(a) prepare a report on the availability of funds for implementing the motion if adopted for inclusion in the business papers for the meeting at which the notice of motion is to be considered by the council, or

(b) by written notice sent to all councillors with the business papers for the meeting for which the notice of motion has been submitted, defer consideration of the matter by the council to such a date specified in the notice, pending the preparation of such a report.

Minutes of Council Committee Meetings

20.25 The minutes of meetings of each Committee of the Council must be confirmed at the next Ordinary Council meeting.

If these proposed changes are adopted by Council following this consultation, changes to the policy will come into immediate effect and will be available to the public on Council’s website, in accordance with the Government Information (Public Access) Act.