Procedure at meetings - sections one to 10

3.1 Purpose

To regulate the conduct of all Council meetings.

3.2 Scope

Governance rules apply to all council meetings.

3.3 Dates and times of meetings fixed by council

Subject to rule 3.4, council must from time to time fix the date, time and place of all council meetings.

3.4 Council may alter meeting dates

Council may change the date, time and place of any council meeting which has been fixed by it and must provide reasonable notice of the change to the public.

3.5 Meetings not fixed by Council

3.5.1	The mayor or at least 3 councillors may by a written notice call a council meeting.
3.5.2	The notice must specify the date and time of the council meeting and the business to be transacted.
3.5.3	The chief executive officer must convene the council meeting as specified in the notice.
3.5.4	Unless all councillors are present and unanimously agree to deal with any other matter, only the business specified in the written notice can be transacted at the council meeting.

3.6 Notice

3.6.1	Council must, at least 7 days before the holding of a council meeting give public notice of the council meeting, including the time, date and location of the meeting, or such notice as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.
3.6.2	A notice of a fixed meeting, incorporating or accompanied by an agenda, must be delivered to every councillor at least 72 hours before the meeting.
3.6.3	A notice of a meeting that is not fixed must be delivered to every councillor at least 48 hours before the meeting. A period less than 48 hours may, however, be justified if exceptional circumstances exist.

3.7 Quorum

3.7.2	A quorum is established when at least a majority of the councillors are present at a council meeting.
3.7.3	If after 30 minutes from the scheduled starting time of any meeting, or at any point in time during a meeting, a quorum cannot be obtained or maintained:
	3.7.3.1	The meeting will be deemed to have lapsed;
	3.7.3.2	The mayor must convene another council meeting, the agenda for which will be identical to the agenda for the lapsed meeting; and
	3.7.3.3	The chief executive officer must give all councillors written notice of the meeting convened by the mayor.

3.8 Adjourned meetings

3.8.2	Council may, by resolution, adjourn any council meeting to a later time on the same day, or for a period not exceeding seven (7) days.
3.8.3	The chief executive officer, or an authorised city officer, must give notice to each councillor of the date, time and place to which the council meeting stands adjourned and of the business remaining to be considered.

3.9 Cancellation or postponement of a meeting

3.9.1	The chief executive officer may, in the case of an emergency necessitating the cancellation or postponement of a council meeting, cancel or postpone a council meeting.
3.9.2	The chief executive officer must present to the immediately following council meeting a written report on any exercise of the power under this rule.

3.10 Chairperson

3.10.1	The mayor must preside at all meetings at which they are present, in the role of chairperson.
3.10.2	In the absence of the mayor, the deputy mayor must preside at any council meeting at which they are present, in the role of chairperson.
3.10.3	In the event that both the mayor and deputy mayor are absent, council must elect a chairperson to preside at that meeting.

Page last updated: Monday, 30th March 2026

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