By Marcus Uhe
New Governance rules will give councils including the City of Casey provisions to conduct Council meetings in both Virtual (online only) and Hybrid (streamed online and in-person) settings.
In 2020, under the Victorian Government’s Covid-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020, mechanisms were introduced to allow councils to conduct virtual meetings in order to ensure the continuance of local government decision-making during the pandemic.
The adoption of the new rules, which come into effect on Friday 2 September, allow for virtual representation of panel members, in what administrator Cameron Boardman described as a “common sense approach” to local governance.
“This is not just an initiative that has been associated with the recent changes to meeting procedures across all aspects of government as a consequence of the pandemic but it is a process which brings meeting procedures of this council and other municipalities into a very common set of practices,” Mr Boardman said.
The City of Casey’s position is that meetings will continue to be held in-person and to only enact a virtual setting in limited circumstances.
The proposed rules were exhibited on the Casey Conversations website for four weeks between Monday 22 July and Monday 22 August, where members of the public were invited to provide written submissions in response to the proposed rules.
Four submissions were made, which Mr Boardman addressed during the special meeting on Tuesday.
“We do acknowledge that feedback has been provided to us,” Mr Boardman said.
“Council officers are in the process of detailing responses to that and ensuring that we do meet community expectations in a reasonable, professional and consistent manner.”
Officers recommended a further review of governance rules, and a revised draft be considered by council in November 2022, following which a final round of consultation would be undertaken.
Administrator Miguel Belmar said conducting meetings by electronic means “absolutely work” and the flexible approach was fundamental to good governance.
“It provides for very flexible participation in meetings,” Mr Belmar said.
“It ensures that members of council and future councillors are able to arrange their affairs in a way that means they can attend. If by chance they need to make arrangements at short notice, the rules provide that can be done even on the day.
“Being able to attend by electronic means should not become the ordinary course and it will always be, from my point-of-view, best to do it in an public setting in the council chambers.
“There’s no reason why, going into the future, under appropriate circumstances and with appropriate notice that electronic meetings are not able to occur.”
Other topics covered in the Governance Rules include the form and availability of records, the conduct of council meetings, an elected period policy and the procedures for a conflict of interest by a councillor, member of delegated committee or member of council staff when providing information.
To view the rules, head to the council’s website and view the agenda for Tuesday 30 August’s Special Council Meeting.
