Following community engagement earlier this year, our guiding governance documents were updated and endorsed by Council at the 3 September Council meeting.

Three documents were endorsed:

• Governance Rules: a set of rules that determine how the elected Councillors meet and make decisions. These rules define how Councillors, community members and Council staff participate in official Council meetings, to ensure a fair and productive process. They also outline how we manage the local government election period, in line with the Local Government Act 2020.
• Conduct at Meetings and Common Seal Local Law: a local law that governs public conduct at Council meetings and the Common Seal, a device which is used for the execution of Council documents.
• Public Participation Policy: governs public participation at Council meetings and written public questions to Council.

These documents reflect best-practice, respond to contemporary governance needs and strengthen and support safe and inclusive community participation. 

In line with community feedback, a range of changes were integrated into the documents, including:

• acceptable behaviour rules for attendance to make meetings safer, more transparent and more effective
• a Councillor notice of motion and the option to revoke a notice of motion, and
• formally placing public question times at the start of each Council meeting.

We also clarified the Mayoral election process to make sure it’s clear and easy to understand for Councillors, the community and Council staff.

We want everyone who attends Council meetings to feel they’re safe, accessible, open and inclusive — for the community, Councillors and officers. It’s an important part of democracy.

These newly adopted documents supersede the Governance Rules (2020), Council Meeting Procedure Local Law, Public Participation at Council Meetings Guidelines and Written Public Questions to Council Guidelines.

Download a copy of the Governance Rules.

Download a copy of the Conduct at Meetings and Common Seal Local Law.

Download a copy of the Public Participation Policy.

For more information and governance at Glen Eira, visit our Good governance page.