When I was previously a Councillor between March 2002 and November 2004, the Council improved the opportunity for the public to ask questions by allowing the public to ask questions at “Special” meetings in relation to matters on the agenda.  The public were already permitted to ask questions in writing or in person on any Council matter at the monthly “Ordinary” meeting.

Between December 2004 and November 2008, when I was not a Councillor, the rights of the community to ask questions was reduced by the Council of the day.  In particular, at “Ordinary” meetings the public were only allowed to ask questions in relation to the matter on the agenda, rather than on any Council matter, when the question was asked in person.

The current Council, at the meeting on 22 July 2009, restored question time pending a review of the local law for Council’s meeting procedures, Local Law 4 (LL4).  Until LL4 is revised and adopted by Council, the public may again ask questions in writing or in person on any Council matter at “Ordinary” meetings.  Questions may still be asked at “Special” meetings but only in relation to items on the “Special” meeting agenda.

The draft LL4 is currently out for public comment.  If adopted in the current form this would place limits on questions that may be asked at "Ordinary" meetings, compared to the current rules.  However, Councillors have indicated that this needs to be reconsidered to ensure that the public’s right to ask questions at Council meetings is not eroded.

The public may comment on the draft LL4 until 15 January 2010.   The draft LL4 is attached to the Council’s web site, http://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au , should you want to read the full document or want to lodge comments on it.

Please feel free to contact me on 5237-3196 if you would like to discuss this or any other Council matter.

To comply with the Councillor Code of Conduct I need to make it clear that these comments are my personal report. I am not speaking on behalf of the Council.