Draft Code of Meeting Practice

Council’s current Code of Meeting Practice was adopted at the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 26 August 2025 in accordance with the requirements of Section 360 of the Local Government Act (1993) (the Act), which requires that a council must adopt a Code of Meeting Practice not later than 12 months after an ordinary election of councillors.

On 29 August 2025 a new Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW (the Model Meeting Code) was issued by the Office of Local Government. The Model Meeting Code is prescribed under s360 of the Act and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (the Regulation).

Councils must adopt a code of meeting practice that incorporates the mandatory provisions of the Model Meeting Code no later than 31 December 2025, however transitional provisions in the Regulation provide that if a council does not adopt a code of meeting practice that incorporates the mandatory provisions of the 2025 Model Meeting Code by 31 December 2025, from 1 January 2026, any provision of the council’s code of meeting practice that is inconsistent with a mandatory provision of the 2025 Model Meeting Code will be automatically overridden by the relevant mandatory provision of the 2025 Model Meeting Code.

Council's draft new Code of Meeting Practice is based on the Model Meeting Code including the non-mandatory provisions. For ease of reference, clause numbering is consistent between the draft Code and the Model Meeting Code.

Under s361 of the Act, Council is required to exhibit the Code of Meeting Practice for a period of not less than 28 days, inviting submissions for a period of at least 42 days.

Council invites feedback from the community on the draft Code of Meeting Practice.