Corporate governance New Code of Meeting Practice In May 2019, Council adopted a new Code of Meeting Practice, based on the Model Code of Meeting Practice for local councils in NSW: • In addition to webcasting Ordinary Meetings of Council, Council will also webcast all Advisory Committee Meetings, Standing Committee Meetings and Extraordinary Meetings of Council, commencing 1 June 2019. • Public forums are to be held prior to all Standing Committee Meetings, Ordinary Meetings of Council and Extraordinary Meetings of Council. • The number of public speakers was retained at three speakers for and three speakers against any item on the agenda. • Public speakers will be permitted to speak on more than one item of business on the agenda, subject to the approval of the General Manager. • The use of audio or visual aids will be permitted subject to the speaker providing notification at the time of registering their request to speak and subject to the content of the aids not containing offensive or defamatory material. • An extension of time may be granted to registered speakers in extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the Chairperson. • Video recordings of Council meetings are to be retained for 12 months on Council’s website. • ‘Matters of Privilege’ are removed from the Order of Business Amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 allowed councils to meet remotely to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Meetings of Council were held remotely via Skype from March 2020 to June 2020. In order to ensure the same level of public participation in these meetings of Council, the Public Forum portion of each meeting was adapted. When members of the public registered to address Council, they provided a written submission which was read aloud to the Skype meeting.
Ethical conduct Good governance are the processes and behaviours that ensure an organisation is able to meet its intended purpose, conforms by complying with laws, codes, policies and procedures while meeting community expectations of probity, accountability and transparency.
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