Draft Code of Meeting Practice 2024
Consultation has concluded
The public exhibition has been extended to Tuesday 4 February 2025. Have your say now.
The revised Draft Code of Meeting Practice (the Code) provides details of how and when Council meetings are conducted. It applies to meetings of Council and Committees of the Council in which all members are Councillors.
The Code covers all items relating to Council meeting procedure as well as the behaviours expected of Councillors during Council meetings.
All councils are required to review and adopt a Code of Meeting Practice within 12 months after an ordinary election of council.
The revised draft Code proposes changes in these key areas:
- Public and Open Forums to be held one week prior to Council Meetings
- removing the extension of meetings beyond 10.30pm
- Inclusion of references to the relevant sections of the Local Government Act, 1993
- formalising inclusion of Council recess in January and July each year
- revision of the Order of Business for meetings.
The most significant amendment proposes that Public and Open Forums be held one week prior to the Ordinary Meeting of the Council, for up to one hour, with options for the forums to be held in person or virtually. This amendment would bring Council into alignment with the best practice provisions in the Office of Local Government’s Model Code of Meeting Practice. The time period between Forums and Council Meetings enables Councillors sufficient time to consider specific points raised at the Forums.
Council adopted the revised draft Code of Meeting Practice at its meeting held on 16 December 2024 and a copy of the report is provided as guidance.
View the Council Report (Item 2) - 16 December 2024
Have your say
The revised draft Code of Meeting Practice is on Public Exhibition from Tuesday 17 December 2024 to Tuesday 4 February 2025.
View the document and Council Report and submit your comments by:
- completing a submission form or uploading a submission below
- writing to the CEO at Willoughby City Council, PO Box 57, Chatswood NSW 2057
- emailing governance.team@willoughby.nsw.gov.au
