Council Policies

The purpose of this Budgetary Framework Policy in Kiama Municipal Council is to define guidelines for Council’s management and staff on the formulation, adoption, review, and reporting of annual planning and reporting activities.

Public forums are a valuable way of giving members of the public an opportunity to provide input into council decision-making.  The Code of Meeting Practice permits councils to hold public forums prior to council meetings to hear oral submissions from members of the public on items of business to be considered at a council meeting.

This Policy applies to all strategic and compulsory land acquisitions and disposals and to the establishment and disposal of easements and has been developed in order to provide the framework for a transparent process that adheres to the relevant legislation and provides the best value outcome for Council.

Council is committed to ensuring all workers are provided with a safe, healthy and productive workplace free from the adverse effect of any drugs and/ or alcohol.

Kiama Council has made a commitment to preserving elements of our local cultural history through the accumulation of its current Art Collection and undertakes a coordinated and deliberate approach to our Collection for the future. This policy outlines how council will oversee a formal council Art Collection that reflects the depth and breadth of our artistic talent and the unique character of the Kiama local government area. As custodians of a public collection, Kiama Council embraces the management of its Collection.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to observing the specific legislative and governance requirements and other considerations that apply to the decisions councils make and the way they exercise their functions in the four week lead up to an election when the caretaker period applies.

This policy aims to provide clear guidance to landowners in the approval, inspection, maintenance and repair of all cattle grids in public roads in order to reduce the exposure of the landowner and Council to potential claims.

The purpose of this Policy is to maximise the lifespan of Kiama Municipal Council’s existing cemeteries while providing clarity to Council’s customers on the options and appropriate costs of interment.

Council is committed to supporting the rights of children and young people and is committed to their care, protection and contribution to our community. Council acknowledges that in NSW, the safety of children and young people is a responsibility shared by parents/guardians and families with the support of the community and government and non-government organisations.

This code of conduct applies to council committee members and delegates of council who are not councillors or staff of the council and sets the minimum standards of conduct for council officials.

This code of conduct applies to members of council staff, including general managers and sets the minimum standards of conduct for council officials.

This code of conduct applies to Councillors and sets the minimum standards of conduct for council officials.

Kiama Municipal Council’s Code of Meeting Practice (the Code) is based on the Model Code of Meeting Practice 2021 issued by the Office of Local Government for Local Councils in NSW. The Code applies to all meetings of Councils and Committees of Councils of which all the members are Councillors.

The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that Council forms committees which reflect the key functions and deliverables of the organisation.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to ensuring that all feedback received by Council is addressed promptly and fairly through a transparent and consistent process. This policy applies to all Council officials receiving or managing complaints from the public made to or about us, regarding our services, practices, procedures, products, systems and complaint handling.

The purpose of this Policy is to provide structure for consistency and transparency in decision making, and to facilitate a proportional approach to compliance and enforcement.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to providing a positive, professional working relationship between Councillors and staff.

This policy enables the reasonable and appropriate reimbursement of expenses and provision of facilities to councillors to help them undertake their civic duties. The policy sets out the maximum amounts council will pay councillors for specific expenses and facilities.

The purpose of this policy is to demonstrate Kiama Municipal Council’s commitment to ensuring that the Mayor and Councillors have access to induction and ongoing professional development which will assist them to develop and maintain the skills and knowledge required to effectively perform their civic role and responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to ensuring that the collection of monies owing to it is carried out in an efficient, effective, and transparent manner. Council is committed to ensuring that all people are treated fairly and consistently and will give due consideration and compassion to those who are suffering genuine financial hardship.

This policy identifies Council’s requirements when assessing and determining Development Applications (DAs) for demolition and renovation of buildings containing asbestos and provides information on the requirements in respect to the removal and handling of products containing asbestos.

This policy applies to all applications for development consent, including Development Applications, Modifications of Consent and Complying Development Certificates, under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and establishes an efficient and effective assessment framework to ensure Council retains its planning functions.

Council understands that large, unmitigated risks can adversely impact upon its stakeholders and its ability to achieve strategic and operational objectives. Accordingly, Council is committed to a systematic, proactive, and enterprise-wide approach to managing risk.

The objectives of this policy are to establish clear guidelines and procedures for Council to apply to the assessment of rateable land parcels for the categorisation as Farmland for rating purposes and to ensure that all farmland assessments are determined using consistent measures.

To provide guidelines to enable the establishment of footpath dining on public road reserves in the business/commercial areas of Kiama Municipality.

To set out Council’s commitment to Fraud and Corruption Control and outline the approach to planning and resourcing, prevention, detection, reporting and responding to Fraud and Corruption and to provide a consistent understanding that effective implementation of fraud and corruption control will assist to ensure public confidence in the integrity of Council.

The purpose of this Policy is to establish standards and provide direction to all Council officials on how to deal ethically with the offer of gifts and benefits in relation to Council’s functions and/or their individual roles and responsibilities with Council.

This Policy provides the framework for managing Council’s Grants Program, its expenditure and accountability processes. The Policy guides the administration of the Grants Program in a manner that is aligned to the above strategic objectives and in accordance section 356 Local Government Act 1993.

This Policy applies across all Council projects, supported activities, events, and operations and provides a sustainable direction to apply across all council operations.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to the establishment of Municipal honour rolls to acknowledge outstanding achievements and to make certain assessment for inclusion on the roll is undertaken in a fair and collaborative way.

The purpose of this interim Policy is to identify minor maintenance and repair works associated with heritage items, Aboriginal objects, Aboriginal places, archaeological sites or heritage conservation areas which may be carried out without the need to obtain development consent.

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for investment of Kiama Municipal Council’s funds with a view to minimising the risk of loss of capital or interest, to ensure that liquidity requirements are observed and after having regard to these two prime objectives, seeking to achieve the best rate of return available.

Kiama Council is committed to creating great places to live, work and enjoy in our Municipality. Council’s Strategic Planning and Plan Making processes provide both the most effective opportunities to engage with the community and create these places. The purpose of this Policy is to guide and standardise Council’s preparation, review and assessment of Planning Proposals.

The purpose of this Policy is to provide guidance to Council staff on data breaches of Council held data in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and to set out how Council will respond to data breaches involving personal information.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to engaging effectively and professionally with the media to keep the community informed, explain decisions and to provide confidence in the Council and its decisions.

This Policy applies to all applications and requests for memorials and plaques on Council-owned land.

Council is committed to ensuring the activities (such as itinerant, mobile, and temporary food stalls) that are regulated by Council are safe and healthy and comply with all relevant and current legislation and guidelines.

Council supports the development and provision of Murals and Sculptures in the Municipality.

The objective of this policy is to establish clear guidelines and procedures for Council to apply the pensioner concession rates rebate in compliance with the legislation.

Council values its community and provides opportunities to community members to be heard about issues of importance within our Local Government Area (LGA). Council welcomes the public’s views on decision-making processes and considers them in a fair and consistent manner.

To provide a facility for the Council and developers to negotiate flexible outcomes in respect of development contributions and to establish a Framework addressing the use of Planning Agreements affecting land in the LGA.

To provide a consistent and supportive approach for the approval and on-going management of markets held on Council owned or managed land within the Kiama Local Government Area (LGA).

The purpose of this Plan is to explain how Council manages personal and health information. It informs individuals about how their personal and health information will be collected, stored, accessed, used and disclosed and how they can access and amend their own personal information. It informs Council officials of their responsibilities in relation to privacy and their role in the protection of an individual’s personal and health information.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to implementing best practice procurement procedures and complying with legislative requirements whilst delivering positive outcomes for our community that consider social, economic and environmental sustainability.

This policy provides a framework for the formal process by which Council will commission, procure, approve, manage, coordinate and preserve Public Art resources in the municipality.

Kiama Municipal Council takes reports of serious wrongdoing seriously. Council is committed to building a ‘speak up’ culture where public officials are encouraged to report any conduct that they reasonably believe involves wrongdoing.

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear requirements regarding the use and occupation of Council owned or managed public places within the Kiama Local Government Area (LGA) under agreements.

This policy has been prepared to assist the community, volunteers, Council staff, contractors, consultants, and utility authorities in regard to the management, removal and replacement of trees in streets, parks, and reserves within the Kiama Municipal Council area.

Kiama Municipal Council is committed to provide a framework for the establishment and management of Council’s restricted cash funds. Restrictions are established to set aside funds for Council to meet legislative requirements, to allocate funds against future activities and to ensure sufficient funding is available to meet current and long term financial obligations.

To provide general standards for the erection of small wind turbines within the Kiama Municipality and to protect the amenity of the locality in which the small wind turbine is situated.

Council officials are committed to upholding and promoting the principles of social media engagement. This Policy applies to Council Officials’ use of social media in an official capacity or in connection with their role as a Council Official.

The Statement of Business Ethics is prepared by Council to ensure Council’s expectations around best practice procurement, contractor engagement, fair dealings, integrity and good governance are clear, practical and understood by those who have dealings with Council. The Statement will enable providers and suppliers to Council to advance their business objectives and interests with us fairly and ethically.

Council is committed to being accessible and responsive to all customers and those who approach us with a complaint. When complainants behave unreasonably in their dealings with us, their conduct can significantly affect our success. As a result, KMC will take proactive and decisive action to manage any complainant conduct that negatively and unreasonably affects us and will support our staff to do the same in accordance with this policy.

From time to time, Council is presented with Unsolicited Proposals from the community, businesses or other government agencies. The purpose of this Policy is to stimulate and encourage business investment and innovation in the Municipality of Kiama and further, to better assist in appropriately managing governance and probity issues that arise in such circumstances.

To provide for the effective management of public reserves used by commercial fitness trainers/groups occupying designated public land in the Kiama Municipality, ensuring that open space areas can continue to be to be enjoyed and accessed by the community for general use without adverse impacts to surrounding residents, public infrastructure and considering public risk.

This policy aims to address the illegal disposal of domestic, business, commercial, industrial and demolition waste in public place litter bins located throughout the Kiama Local Government area.

To ensure that building design and development incorporates effective water and soil management measures.

These Procedures (“the Model Code Procedures”) are prescribed for the administration of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW (“the Model Code of Conduct”).