Monday Public Forum Trial
Lane Cove Council is currently trialling holding their Public Forum on Monday evenings during the week of a scheduled Ordinary Council Meeting to allow councillors sufficient time to transact business in the business papers.
The Public Forum is where members of the public can address the Council for a time limit of three (3) minutes per person (in person or virtually) on matters that are in the agenda papers or any other local matter.
It is not a forum for debate or response from Councillors. However, Councillors can ask questions if they would like a point clarified.
Before March 2024, the Public Forum was held as part of the Monthly Ordinary Council Meeting, usually on a Thursday.
Lane Cove Council are intending to amend the Code Of Meeting Procedures to make this trial permanent. ITC has heard from some readers that they don’t mind the day moving but there is not enough time to review the agenda papers. The agenda papers come around 5.00 pm on a Thursday only two business days before the public forum.
The Lane Cove Council is asking your your comments on moving the public forum to a Monday night. You can comment on the proposal here. Comments close COB 4 June 2024.
What are the Impacts of Lane Cove Council Moving the Public Forum?
Moving the Public Forum to Monday Night means:
- Lane Cove Council has said that as it is not a council meeting, councillors are not required to attend;
- Lane Cove Council senior staff are not at the meeting to note resident’s concerns or issues;
- Residents only have a few days to review the agenda item and have limited time to assess the impact of a proposed council resolution;
- It is not a council meeting; therefore, the Code of Meeting Practice does not apply. The Code of Meeting Practice permits councillors to ask a question to seek clarification on an issue.
- Lane Cove Council Meetings used to be on Monday night, and in 2022, the council resolved to move the ordinary meeting (which includes the public forum) to a Thursday Night to give both councillors and the public more time to review the business papers.
Why Does Council Want to Move the Public Agenda
At the February 2024 meeting, the following was on the agenda.
Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy Update, Managing Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace Procedure Information and Proposed Amendments to the Code of Meeting Practice Recommendation
The purpose of this agenda item was to provide the Council with:
- an update on the progress of the Draft Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy,
- an insight into relevant documents as they relate to Work, Health and Safety generally and Managing Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace more specifically, and
- an outline of recommended amendments to the Council’s adopted Code of Meeting Practice.
The Lane Cove Council’s Officer report noted
“To ensure Council Meetings are run more effectively and efficiently and with the mental well-being of Councillors and staff foremost in mind, a number of changes are proposed to how Council Meetings are conducted:-.
- Reinstating the need for Councillors and staff to stand when speaking to better manage the flow and order of debate/discussion during Council meetings;
- Including a provision that limits public speakers to only speak once about a subject/item that is not on the published business paper agenda; and
- Move the Public Forum segment to another evening, separate from the Council Meeting (recommended to be the Monday evening before the Ordinary Council Meeting), to allow the Council sufficient time for Council to transact business as outlined in the published agenda. In recent council meetings there has been considerable time dedicated to the public forum and the debate generally which had seen meetings finishing after the 11:00pm mandated finish time. In most cases this included the bulk adoption of items which is not ideal in terms of Council wishing to adequately consider each matter. By separating the meeting and forum, adequate time will be available for both the Public Forum and the Council Meeting. Ku-ring-gai Council conduct their Council Meeting Public Forum on a separate day from their actual Ordinary Council Meeting.
The business paper stated:
“To give effect to items 1 and 2 above, Council will need to amend the Code of Meeting Practice while item 3 can be implemented simply by a resolution of Council, as the Code of Meeting Practice is not prescriptive.”
The mental health of Lane Cove Council staff is important. However, other councils have addressed this problem by issuing extensive public forum rules and advising their residents that comments in the public forum must not be personal attacks on councillors or the staff.
What Rules Apply to the Public Forum?
In the Cove was unable to establish the rules apply to the trial Monday Night public forum. Other councils that hold public forums on a different night than ordinary council meetings have rules on how the public forum will be run.
Ku-ring-gai Council – the same rules apply to the Code of Meeting Practice – read more here.
Central Coast Council has a Public Forum Policy document, which is an eight-page document drafted by Central Coast Council—Governance, Risk, Legal, and Corporate Affairs document – read more here.
Federation Council – the following is published on their website:
“Members of the public have the opportunity to address the Council prior to Ordinary and Extraordinary Council meetings. The forum allows for verbal submissions/presentations from community members on items of business to be considered at the meeting. Conditions are outlined in Council’s Code of Meeting Practice”.
Lane Cove Council – the following is published on their website and there is no reference to the rules that apply a forum (there is mention of rules that apply to a council meeting, however a separate public forum is not a council meeting).
Public Forums are Important for Local Democracy
When Andrew Zbik was Mayor, he would say that the public forum was an important avenue for residents to raise issues with all councillors in attendance.
ITC has always encouraged locals to attend public forums, have their say, and see democracy in action.
No Technical Support at Trial Public Forum
The only council staff members to attend the first public forum meeting are the General Manager and the Minute taker. Usually, at a council meeting or council event where technology is used, the Director of Corporate Services and Strategy or another senior staff member is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of a meeting and responsible for handling technical issues.
What Are the Next Steps?
The Lane Cove Council is asking your your comments on moving the public forum to a Monday night. You can comment on the proposal here. Comments close COB 4 June 2024.
Research last year by Mark Chou, Rachel Busbridge, and Serrin Rutledge-Prior found that most Australians expect more from their local councils than roads, rates, and rubbish, and they want them to discuss topics such as climate change. Read more here.
They are the level of government that impacts us most in our daily lives, and a well-resourced and run council with appropriate procedures and processes can only benefit our community.
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