FAQ

The Policy provides for reasonable and appropriate reimbursement of expenses and provision of facilities to the Mayor and Councillors to help them undertake their civic duties as the elected representatives of Lake Macquarie City Council.  

The policy aims to ensure facilities and expenses for Councillors meet community expectations, with accountability and transparency in the process, and support diverse representation by enabling the participation of Councillors from different backgrounds. The policy covers expenses including travel, accommodation and meals, professional development, conferences and seminars and information technology.

Under the Local Government Act 1993, all Councils are required to prepare, exhibit and adopt a policy about the payment of expenses and the provision of facilities to the Mayor and Councillors.

The Code provides a framework for effective meetings of the Council and Committees of which all the members are Councillors.

Under the Local Government Act (1993), all Councils are required to prepare a Code of Meeting Practice for all meetings of Council and its committees, where all Councillors are members.

A Code must include mandatory provisions of a model code prescribed by the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 and can also contain other matters.

The objectives of our Code as an effective aid for good governance are to:

• ensure meetings of Council and its Committees are conducted in an orderly, consistent and efficient manner
• ensure meetings of Council and its Committees are conducted according to the principles of procedural fairness and due process
• assist with the conduct of discussion and debate during Council and Committee meetings 
• ensure all Councillors understand their rights and obligations during Council and Committee meetings
• ensure Councillors have an equal opportunity to participate fully in meetings and that meetings provide a positive environment without malice, avoiding insulting, improper or defamatory statements.

We’re including updates to refine key elements of the policy and clarify practice. Updates are to:

• allow Councillors to request to forego all or part of their annual fee in exchange for Council making contributions to a complying superannuation fund on their behalf
• enable Councillors to access mobile computing devices and phone equipment for the purposes of Council business up to a total maximum limit of $10,000 per Council term, and clarify roles and responsibilities
• enable Councillors to seek reimbursement for individual newspaper subscriptions, up to a total of two subscriptions (including any corporate offers)
• increase rates for accommodation and meals for Councillors attending conferences and professional development, to reflect COVID-19 price increases
• remove transitional provisions which are no longer applicable following 2021 elections
• make minor editorial amendments.

To look at the detail of the changes, you can find a copy of the draft policy showing tracked changes since the last version on this Project page.

On 29 October 2021, the Office of Local Government advised of updates to the Model Code of Meeting Practice, prescribed by the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. 

The draft Code includes changes to reflect updated mandatory requirements of the Model Code, to:

• clarify requirements for webcasting of meetings and disorder at meetings in line with amendments to the Regulation
• require that council business papers include a reminder to Councillors of their oath or affirmation of office and their conflict of interest disclosure obligations.

The draft Code also includes new provisions to reflect learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic about the format of Council meetings, to:

• allow individual Councillors to attend meetings by audio-visual link 
• allow Council to hold meetings by audio-visual link in the event of natural disasters or public health emergencies
• allow meetings to be cancelled if necessary in the event of natural disasters or public health emergencies

We are also looking to update the Code to:

• include key provisions of Council’s standalone Petitions Policy into the Code, thereby promoting policy simplification
• insert reports of recommendation committees, such as the Traffic Facilities and Road Safety Committee, as a specific item in the order of business for a meeting
• provide that webcast recordings of Council and committee meetings be retained in Council’s internal systems for a period of eight years, in addition to being publicly accessible via Council’s website for four years.

To look at the detail of the changes, you can find a copy of the draft Code showing tracked changes since the last version here.

You can comment on the draft policy by viewing online at this Project page and uploading a submission.

Alternatively, you can view the draft policy at Council's Administrative Centre. 

Written submissions should be address to:

Lake Macquarie City Council

Coordinator Council Liaison

Box 1906, Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310 or via email to [email protected] with the subject title Att Coordinator Council Liaison

• Download here
• Comment or upload a submission here
• Email [email protected] with the subject heading: Att: Loren Cousins, Coordinator Council Liaison - Code of Meeting Practice
• In writing to Box 1906, Hunter Region mail Centre, NSW 2310