RESPECT MISSING INGREDIENT IN COUNCILLOR BEHAVIOUR

The need for councillors to show more respect for each other in public and private leads off the Clarence Valley Council’s response to a discussion paper on regulations covering councillor behaviour.

The NSW Offce of Local Government released a discussion seeking ideas for changes to the Model Code of Conduct and Model Code of Meeting Practice, which are documents that guide council meetings.

It released the discussion paper around the time of the local government election in September and gave newly elected councils until November 16 to make submissions.

The council has been granted an extension to November 29 to make its submission, which is the subject of a Mayoral Minute to the November 21 ordinary council meeting. not address an intent to improve the standard of behaviour to that expected by the community. The key missing principle is Respect,” the council response noted.

The OLG discussion paper noted the driver for change has been the large number of code of conduct complaints received.

The seven-page council response noted this but said the paper overlooked the need for more respectful behaviour.

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“The principles of change however, do

“The Code should require councillors to display respectful behaviours and interactions with other councillors, the general manager, staff and the public.

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