Your Councillors attend regular Council meetings and other special purpose meetings as required. They are expected to read reports, research documents and then make hundreds of decisions on your behalf. Your Councillors could spend 20–25 hours a week on Council matters. Being a Councillor can be hard work, but is also extremely rewarding and challenging.
- Leadership: chairing council meetings, liaising with the Chief Executive Officer, management of Council
- Representative: in community development, at State and Federal Government levels, on peak industry bodies and in promoting our businesses and attractions.
- Ceremonial: supervising civic functions, presenting Australian Citizenship, upholding civic respect for the office of Mayor.
- Participating in Council meetings
- Making decisions
- Contributing to strategic planning and vision setting
- Attending civic and community events
- Membership of advisory committees and working groups
- Representing residents' interests and the shire’s at local and state forums.
Mayoral and Councillor allowances are provided in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989.
Our Councillor Support Policy addresses all aspects of support that are available to Councillors.
The Councillor Code of Conduct addresses a range of issues associated with the role of Councillors including principles of behaviour. It covers Councillor obligations during meetings, conflict of interest provisions, Statement of Caretaker procedures that govern activities of the Council in the period prior to a Council election, and processes for dealing with breaches of the code.
In performing their role, Councillors must ensure that they declare any conflict between their personal interest and affairs and matters that Council considers and makes decisions upon.
The Local Government Act 1989 includes conflict of interest rules for Councils. The rules provide clear and comprehensive definitions of what are conflicts of interest as well as extending the rules to cover additional meetings of Councillors.
The Conflict of Interest in Local Government Guide describes the rules about disclosing conflicts of interest that apply to Councillors, Council officers, members of Council committees and Council contractors. It includes many examples as well as advice about how to understand and apply the rules.