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On Friday 29 August 2025, the NSW Minister for Local Government released a new Model Code of Meeting Practice for councils. It will take effect from 1 January 2026. These changes are part of broader reforms to boost public confidence, trust, and transparency in local government.
The updated Code makes council meetings easier to run, helps manage disorder more effectively, ensures decisions are made openly, and restores respect to council chambers.
Key changes include:
Preventing councils from holding private Councillor briefing sessions to discuss matters that should be considered in the public domain at committee and Council meetings (unless they are confidential).
Encouraging councils to hold public forums preferably before committee meetings, or if they choose Council meetings, to enable community engagement in local matters.
Expanding the powers of the Mayor to remove Councillors from meetings for acts of disorder
Expanding the powers of the Mayor to remove members of the public if they disrupt Council meetings.
Requiring information considered at closed meetings to be made public after it ceases to be confidential.
Requiring councils to give reasons when making decisions on planning matters that depart from staff recommendations (as recommended by ICAC).
Promoting neutrality in the role of the General Manager.
Requiring council and committee meetings to be live streamed to give the community and media access to Council decision making, and to require those videos to be public for at least the rest of the Council term, or 12 months in the case of a meeting in an election year.
All NSW councils are required to adopt a Code of Meeting Practice that contains the mandatory provisions of the updated Model Meeting Code by 31 December 2025. Under section 361 of the Local Government Act 1993, councils must first publicly exhibit a draft code for at least 28 days and allow 42 days for community feedback.
The City of Coffs Harbour reviewed the new Model Code of Meeting Practice and developed the draft City of Coffs Harbour Code of Meeting Practice. This draft was presented to Council at the 25 September 2025 Ordinary Meeting with the following was resolved (2025/210):
That Council:
1. Endorse the public exhibition of the draft City of Coffs Harbour Code of Meeting Practice for a period of 42 days.
2. Note that a report will be brought back to Council following the public exhibition period.
Council is now inviting the community to provide comments on the draft Code of Meeting practice. To provide comments, click the "enter your submission" button and complete the form.
Submissions close at 5 pm Monday 10 November 2025.
On Friday 29 August 2025, the NSW Minister for Local Government released a new Model Code of Meeting Practice for councils. It will take effect from 1 January 2026. These changes are part of broader reforms to boost public confidence, trust, and transparency in local government.
The updated Code makes council meetings easier to run, helps manage disorder more effectively, ensures decisions are made openly, and restores respect to council chambers.
Key changes include:
Preventing councils from holding private Councillor briefing sessions to discuss matters that should be considered in the public domain at committee and Council meetings (unless they are confidential).
Encouraging councils to hold public forums preferably before committee meetings, or if they choose Council meetings, to enable community engagement in local matters.
Expanding the powers of the Mayor to remove Councillors from meetings for acts of disorder
Expanding the powers of the Mayor to remove members of the public if they disrupt Council meetings.
Requiring information considered at closed meetings to be made public after it ceases to be confidential.
Requiring councils to give reasons when making decisions on planning matters that depart from staff recommendations (as recommended by ICAC).
Promoting neutrality in the role of the General Manager.
Requiring council and committee meetings to be live streamed to give the community and media access to Council decision making, and to require those videos to be public for at least the rest of the Council term, or 12 months in the case of a meeting in an election year.
All NSW councils are required to adopt a Code of Meeting Practice that contains the mandatory provisions of the updated Model Meeting Code by 31 December 2025. Under section 361 of the Local Government Act 1993, councils must first publicly exhibit a draft code for at least 28 days and allow 42 days for community feedback.
The City of Coffs Harbour reviewed the new Model Code of Meeting Practice and developed the draft City of Coffs Harbour Code of Meeting Practice. This draft was presented to Council at the 25 September 2025 Ordinary Meeting with the following was resolved (2025/210):
That Council:
1. Endorse the public exhibition of the draft City of Coffs Harbour Code of Meeting Practice for a period of 42 days.
2. Note that a report will be brought back to Council following the public exhibition period.
Council is now inviting the community to provide comments on the draft Code of Meeting practice. To provide comments, click the "enter your submission" button and complete the form.
