Ordinary Meeting of Council - 15 August 2018

Wednesday, August 15, 2018 - 02:00 PM

COUNCIL MEETING INFORMATION NOTES

Your Council generally handles all business at Ordinary or Special Council Meetings.

From time to time Council may form a Committee to examine subjects and then report to Council.

Generally all meetings are open to the public; however, from time to time Council will be required to deal with personal, legal and other sensitive matters.  On those occasions Council will generally close that part of the meeting to the public.  Every endeavour will be made to do this as the last item of business of the meeting.

Public Question Time.  It is a requirement of the Local Government Act 1995 to allow at least fifteen (15) minutes for public question time following the opening and announcements at the beginning of the meeting.  Should there be a series of questions the period can be extended at the discretion of the Chairman.

Written notice of each question should be given to the Chief Executive Officer fifteen (15) minutes prior to the commencement of the meeting.  A summary of each question and response is included in the Minutes.

When a question is not able to be answered at the Council Meeting a written answer will be provided after the necessary research has been carried out.  Council staff will endeavour to provide the answers prior to the next meeting of Council.

Councillors may from time to time have a financial interest in a matter before Council.  Councillors must declare an interest and the extent of the interest in the matter on the Agenda.  However, the Councillor can request the meeting to declare the matter trivial, insignificant or in common with a significant number of electors or ratepayers.  The Councillor must leave the meeting whilst the matter is discussed and cannot vote unless those present agree as above.

Members of staff, who have delegated authority from Council to act on certain matters, may from time to time have a financial interest in a matter on the Agenda.  The member of staff must declare that interest and generally the Chairman of the meeting will advise the Officer if he/she is to leave the meeting.

Agendas, including an Information Bulletin, are delivered to Councillors within the requirements of the Local Government Act 1995, i.e. seventy-two (72) hours prior to the advertised commencement of the meeting.  Whilst late items are generally not considered there is provision on the Agenda for items of an urgent nature to be considered.

Should an elector wish to have a matter placed on the Agenda the relevant information should be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer in time to allow the matter to be fully researched by staff.  An Agenda item, including a recommendation, will then be submitted to Council for consideration.  The Agenda closes the Monday week prior to the Council Meeting (i.e. ten (10) days prior to the meeting).

The Information Bulletin produced as part of the Agenda includes items of interest and information, which does not require a decision of Council.

Agendas for Ordinary Meetings are available in the Shire of Pingelly Office, on the website and the Pingelly Library seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting and the public are invited to secure a copy.

Agenda items submitted to Council will include a recommendation for Council consideration.  Electors should not interpret and/or act on the recommendations until after they have been considered by Council.  Please note the Disclaimer in the Agenda (page 3).

Public Inspection of Unconfirmed Minutes (Reg 13)

A copy of the unconfirmed Minutes of Ordinary and Special Meetings will be available for public inspection from the Shire of Pingelly Office and the Shire of Pingelly website within ten (10) working days after the Meeting.

NOTE: 

Unopposed Business

Upon a motion being moved and seconded, the person presiding may ask the meeting if any member opposes it.

If no member signifies opposition to the motion the person presiding may declare the motion in sub clause (1) carried without debate and without taking a vote on it.

A motion carried under sub clause (2) is to be recorded in the minutes as a unanimous decision of the Council or committee.

If a member signifies opposition to a motion the motion is to be dealt with according to this Part.

This clause does not apply to any motion or decision to revoke or change a decision which has been made at a Council or committee meeting.

Question Time

This Policy provides guidance to the Presiding Member (noting the provisions of the Local Government (Administration) Regulation7).

Question time is for the asking of questions.  General comments, issues for debate etc. are to be progressed through the normal procedure for submitting Agenda items for Council’s consideration.  Tabled correspondence will not be accepted.

Unless the person is known to all other persons in the Chamber, the Questioner is to state their name and address prior to asking the question.

The Questioner is to stand to address the Presiding Member, unless illness or a physical or other disability prevents him/her from doing so.  All questions are to be addressed to the Presiding Member.

The question must be immediately put and may be followed by a brief statement related to the question.

The Presiding Member may respond to the question or may nominate a Councillor or an Officer to respond.

Debate between the Questioner or public and a Councillor or Officer is not permitted.

Questions may not be put by Councillors to the Questioner or other members of the public except for the purpose of clarification.

If the Presiding Member determines that a full and complete answer is unable to be given at that time, the question may be taken on notice.  In that case, an answer will be given in writing to the Questioner within 7 days and the response tabled at the next Ordinary Council meeting.

A summary of the question and the response only is to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.