What contributes to council decisions
There are other activities that contribute to good council decision making. Some of these are formal, structured and continuous links with the council, while others are informal. Any council decision taken as a result of these processes happens at a formal council meeting or under formal council delegations. In this way council decision making remains transparent and accountable to the community.
Staff advice to council meetings
Council staff provide advice and expertise to assist council decision-making. At formal council meetings, council officers typically present written reports on matters requiring a council decision. These reports provide background to, details of and recommendations about each matter being considered. Officer reports are included in the council meeting agenda provided before the meeting.
A senior staff member may introduce a report and be available to answer councillors’ questions. Staff expertise and training is a valuable resource and officer recommendations generally form the basis of a council decision. However, a council is not bound to adopt these recommendations.
Council briefings/workshops
Before making decisions at a council meeting, it is important that councillors first satisfy themselves about the detail of the issues.
As one way of providing this information, some councils hold council briefings or workshops. These are generally closed-door sessions during which council staff, and sometimes outside advisors, provide councillors with detailed briefings.
Briefing sessions enable councillors to discuss issues frankly and fully among themselves and with senior staff, and work through topics in a way that would not be possible in an open council meeting. They can be an important forum for advice and discussion in the lead up to a formal decision about a complex issue, or for councillors to request additional information to assit in making decisions.
Councillors do not make legally binding decisions in these informal forums.
Council briefing sessions should not be confused with public briefings. Councils also arrange briefing sessions for members of the community to present information about council activities or to provide detail of complex or significant matters that may be coming before the council.
Advisory committees
A council may establish advisory committees whose purpose is to look into and advise the council on matters referred to it.
Unlike a special committee of council, an advisory committee does not have any formal, delegated powers to act in place of the council. Advisory committee decisions or recommendations have no legal standing unless they are adopted by the council at a formal meeting.
Although there is no delegation of powers, an advisory committee will often still operate under a “Terms of Reference” document, in which the council sets out the committee’s purpose and how it will function. As with special committees, the council retains control over the membership and purpose of the committee.
Advisory committees can assist councils by spreading a council’s workload, enabling a council to recruit and utilise particular expertise to help the council make its decisions, and by engaging community resources and opinion.
Short term advisory committees (sometimes called “working groups” or “ad hoc groups”) may be created for a particular purpose and disbanded when that purpose is achieved.
A council is not bound to accept a recommendation of an advisory committee.
Monitoring performance
Councils regularly review progress in achieving the strategic directions, goals and financial outcomes contained in the Council Plan and other strategic documents. The results of these reviews can have an important impact on future council decisions.
The Act requires that at least once a year a council must consider whether its four year Council Plan requires any adjustment. The public must be consulted about any changes to the Council Plan.
Regular financial reports form an important part of any monitoring system. The Local Government Act requires that the CEO must ensure that the council is presented with a statement comparing the actual revenue and expenditure for the financial year with the Budget at least every three months. These quarterly financial reports are presented at a council meeting and enable a council to make any adjustments it needs to its annual program.
Each council must appoint an internal audit committee to provide ongoing advice about its financial systems and approach, risk management and compliance with relevant legislation. This is in addition to the external auditor who conducts an annual audit of a council’s finances.
The Chief Executive Officer has a vital role in setting up reporting systems to enable the council to monitor its progress and take any action needed to maintain progress towards its agreed outcomes.
Community consultation
In the lead up to important decisions, councils may use different ways to consult with their communities. Many of these methods include the opportunity for direct participation from the community. The Local Government Act requires councils to call for public submissions in a number of circumstances.
Councillors and the community
Individual councillors are already likely to have well developed networks of community contacts and involvements. They attend community meetings and events, hold ward or community forums or represent the council at community functions.
As a result of being available and approachable in this way, a councillor may be asked to bring matters of concern to an individual or a group to the attention of the council. Depending on the issue, this might be:
- a request passed on to council staff for attention
- raised informally with other councillors or at a councillor briefing
- raised at a formal council meeting
- referred to an external body
Links with outher authorities
Councils maintain contacts with other authorities that can impact on decisions about council activities. These contacts include:
State and Federal Government Departments
- statutory authorities like VicRoads, regional catchment management authorities, the Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board
- local utility providers (gas, power, phone and water);
- local foreshore and other reserve management committees
- local health services providers
Memberships of other bodies
- Councils also participate in broader groups and processes that can have an impact upon their decisions. Examples include:
- council membership of groups formed around particular issues
- council membership of local government peak bodies
- council membership of regional bodies
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