Access to Council Meetings and Documents

NPSP Council has released a draft Code of Practice to govern the way residents and other stakeholders can gain access to Council meetings and documents. The objectives of the draft code are to:

• provide to the community information on the Council’s Code for access to Council meetings, Council Committees and Council documents; and
• summarise the legal position relating to public access to the Council and Committee meetings and ocuments.
• clearly outline to the community for what purpose and on what basis the Council may apply the povisions of the Local Government Act 1999, to restrict public access to meetings and/or documents.

The draft code covers such topics as

• when and how Council meeting agendas will be available to the public
• public access to formal meetings and informal gatherings of Council
• the circumstances under which matters are considered in-confidence
• the circumstances under which Council will use the confidentiality provisions of the Local Government Act
• the various means for the public to access Council documents
• the procedure by which a member of the public may seek a review of a Council decision

Any person wishing to make a submission in relation to the draft Code of Practice can do so by writing to:

Lisa Mara
Manager Governance & Civic Affairs
City Of Norwood Payneham & St Peters
PO Box 204
KENT TOWN SA 5071

All submissions must be received by close of business on Friday 14 December 2007.

Draft Code of Practice (clicking on the link will open an 8 page PDF document on Council’s website)