Draft Model Code of Conduct, Draft Code of Meeting Practice

Snowy Monaro Regional Council has placed on public exhibition its Model Code of Conduct and its Draft Code of Meeting Practice.

Both documents are on public exhibition for 28-days until 5pm Thursday 4 April 2019.

Feedback will be accepted on the Model Code of Conduct until 5pm Thursday 4 April, while submissions for the Draft Code of Meeting Practice will be accepted until Thursday 18 April 2019.

To submit feedback you can comment below, email or write to Council on the following details:

Email – governance@snowymonaro.nsw.gov.au

Post- Snowy Monaro Regional Council, PO BOX 714, Cooma NSW 2630

Additional information

Model Code of Conduct

The Model Code of Conduct sets the minimum standards of conduct for council officials.

It is prescribed by regulation to assist council officials to:

• understand and comply with the standards of conduct that are expected of them
• enable them to fulfil their statutory duty to act honestly and exercise a reasonable degree of care and diligence (section 439)
• act in a way that enhances public confidence in local government.

Draft Code of Meeting Practice

Before adopting a new Code of Meeting Practice, under section 361 of the Local Government Act, councils are required to exhibit a draft of the code of meeting practice for at least 28-days and provide members of the community at least 42 days in which to comment on the draft code.

A clear and transparent Code of Meeting Practice, that meets legislative obligations, will ensure our community is able to effectively engage with Council at Council meetings

The Draft Code of Meeting Practice has two elements:

1. It contains mandatory provisions (indicated in black font) that reflect the existing meetings provisions of the Act and update and enhance the meetings provisions previously prescribed under the Regulation to reflect contemporary meetings practice by councils.
2. It contains non-mandatory provisions (indicated in red font) that cover areas of meetings practice that are common to most councils but where there may be a need for some variation in practice between councils based on local circumstances.