Late Agenda of Council Meeting

Councillor Contact Details

Granville Ward
Clr Steve Christou (Mayor)	0419 651 187	Steve.Christou@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Ola Hamed	0405 070 007	Ola.Hamed@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Joseph Rahme	0418 995 471	Joseph.Rahme@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Greystanes Ward
Clr Greg Cummings	0417 612 717	Greg.Cummings@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Eddy Sarkis (Deputy Mayor)	0418 306 918	Eddy.Sarkis@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Vacant	-	-
Regents Park Ward
Clr Ned Attie	0419 583 254	Ned.Attie@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr George Campbell	0409 233 315	George.Campbell@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Kun Huang	0418 911 774	Kun.Huang@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
South Granville Ward
Clr Glenn Elmore	0418 459 527	Glenn.Elmore@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Paul Garrard	0414 504 504	Paul.Garrard@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Tom Zreika	0400 805 303	Tom.Zreika@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Wentworthville Ward
Clr Lisa Lake	0418 669 681	Lisa.Lake@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Suman Saha	0419 546 950	Suman.Saha@cumberland.nsw.gov.au
Clr Michael Zaiter	0418 432 797	Michael.Zaiter@cumberland.nsw.gov.au

For information on Council services and facilities please visit www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au

Council Meeting

20 May 2020

Item No: MM05/20-29

Mayoral Minute - Scheduling of Council Meetings during Covid-19

Author: Mayor Steve Christou

File Number: SC486

Summary

At the Ordinary Council meeting held on 1 April 2020, Council resolved via a Mayoral Minute that during the Covid-19 period, Council meetings would be scheduled to be held on the third Wednesday of each month only.

We have now trialled one Council meeting per month, and I can clearly see the logic in our existing Code of Meeting practice where it states that Council meetings are generally scheduled on the first and third Wednesday of each month, with the exception of January.

It is clearly evident from tonight’s massive agenda, that one Council meeting per month is not conducive to the functioning of an effective Council and administration.

Each matter before us is very important, and when our agendas are as extensive as tonight it means that there is potentially less time to review and consider such matters, including Councillor Motions, given our meetings must conclude at 10.30pm or at the conclusion of the final item. Also, it is clear that the General Manager and senior management team are able to run a more effective organisation if they are able to put matters requiring decisions before Council on a more frequent basis.

Given the success of recent meetings with remote access, the possibility of social distancing restrictions remaining for many months and the potential of an extraordinary Council meeting being required to complete tonight’s business, I would rather that our community have more transparency and consistency around when this Council is scheduled to meet.

Therefore Councillors, I recommend the following:

Recommendation

That Council as of June 2020, return to conducting Council meetings in accordance with the adopted Code of Meeting Practice, with remote meeting options continuing until Government restrictions around Covid-19 are lifted.

Attachments

Nil