NSW LGA 1993

Sunshine Score

Agenda & Notice Requirements

Online posting: Required

Notice of at least 3 days required before ordinary meetings (s. 367). The agenda and supporting papers must be publicly available at the council offices and on the council website before the meeting. Notice of extraordinary meetings at shorter notice is permissible for urgent matters.

Agenda changes at meeting: Allowed — A motion to deal with a matter not on the agenda requires a procedural resolution and statement of urgency.

Public Participation

No statutory right to speak at council meetings. The Code of Meeting Practice governs public question time arrangements, but public speaking is set by each council's adopted Code.

Virtual Meetings

Remote attendance provisions were expanded during COVID-19. The Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 contains provisions for remote attendance. The Code of Meeting Practice template supports audio-visual link attendance.

Closed Sessions

Closed (executive) sessions: Allowed under specific circumstances

Permitted Categories

• Personnel Matters Concerning Particular Individuals (Other Than Councillors)
• Personal Hardship Of Any Resident Or Ratepayer
• Information That Would, If Disclosed, Confer A Commercial Advantage On A Person With Whom The Council Is Conducting (Or Proposes To Conduct) Business
• Commercial Information Of A Confidential Nature That Could Prejudice The Council's Commercial Position, Damage Commercial Relations, Or Reveal Trade Secrets
• Information That Would, If Disclosed, Prejudice The Maintenance Of The Law, Including The Prevention And Detection Of Crime
• Matters Affecting The Security Of The Council, Its Councillors, Staff, Or Property
• Advice Concerning Litigation, Or Advice That Would Otherwise Be Privileged From Production In Legal Proceedings On The Ground Of Legal Professional Privilege
• Information Concerning The Nature And Location Of A Place Or An Item Of Aboriginal Significance
• Alleged Contraventions Of The Model Code Of Conduct Or Council's Code Of Conduct (S. 10a(2)(J))

Meeting Minutes

Online posting: Required

Content requirements: Minutes must be kept of all meetings (s. 375). Draft minutes must be available to the public on the next business day after the meeting. Confirmed minutes published on the council website.

Recording & Broadcast

Enforcement

Accessibility & Language Access

ADA accessibility: Meeting venues must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth).

Sources & References

• Full text of law →