PORT Stephens Council has updated its Code Of Meeting Practice.

In October, the Office of Local Government released a revised Model of Code of Meeting Practice in which the Council based its revised Code on.

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Following the recent Council meeting on 13 September, Councillors voted in support of the revised Code.

Notable changes to the Code include the webcasting of Public Access prior to meetings, business papers to be published on the Council website by 10am the first Monday after the previous meeting of Council, Councillors
receiving the business to be considered at the meeting by the close of business of the first Friday after the previous meeting and submission of notices of motion three days prior to the distribution of the business paper.

A statement of ethical obligations has also been added to the Code to remind Councillors and the Mayor of their oath or affirmation of office and their obligations to disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

The Council meeting webcasts will continue to be made publicly on the Council’s website for at least twelve months after the meeting, and the meeting may only not be webcast in the case of technical issues or technical limitations.

The revised Code will also ensure that voting for all council items is recorded in the minutes of the meeting, including the councillors who voted for and against each motion or amendment (and recording the use of the Mayoral casting vote).

To improve transparency, the full form that was filled out by the Councillor to declare their conflict of interest on an item will be displayed in the meeting minutes, with any confidential or personal information redacted.

A final amendment to the Code was moved on the night, adding a point that restricts councillors to attending meetings of the Council by audio-visual link only when the meeting is held virtually due to a natural disaster or public health emergency.

By Tara CAMPBELL