Council Meetings - Confidential Committee

Policy

Council:

1. Note and endorse the legislative requirements regarding open meetings and access to information;
2. Endorse the procedure outlined below for providing public representations to be made on matters proposed for consideration in confidential (or closed) meetings.

1. After the resolution to form into a Confidential Committee of the Whole is passed but before proceeding with the resolution to exclude the press and public, the Mayor should seek advice from the General Manager on any submission made regarding matters to be considered by the Confidential Committee.
2. Any written submission would be advised to Council along with any nominations to address Council made prior to the meeting.
3. The Mayor should seek additional nominations as representatives of the public gallery for verbal representations to be made. On any one matter a maximum of 3 speakers for and 3 against a particular issue should be allowed, including those registered prior to the meeting.
4. Each representative should be allowed a maximum of 2 minutes to make his or her representation as to why a matter should be in open Council.
5. Council may then consider these representations either in open Council or in closed Council.
6. Council's decision should then be conveyed to the public in attendance and if any matter is to be dealt with in open Council it should be immediately brought forward.
7. If no matters are transferred to open Council, or if some matters remain to be dealt with in closed Council, the motion excluding the press and public should then be put for consideration and if passed, the meeting should proceed in confidential circumstances.