Draft Code of Meeting Practice

Bayside Council is exhibiting its Draft Code of Meeting Practice (the Code).

The draft Code outlines the procedures and rules for how all Council and committee meetings are conducted. Its purpose is to support effective public decision-making and to enhance transparency and accountability to the community.

What's happening now?

We previously exhibited the Code, but we are now re-exhibiting it following the release of a revised Model Code of Meeting Practice (Model Code) by the Office of Local Government (OLG). You can see the previous HYS page here.

Council now has a legislative responsibility to amend our Code based on the new Model Code and must do so following a public consultation process no later than 31 December 2025.

Proposed Changes

We are proposing to make changes to the following sections of the Code:

Key changes made by the OLG which are mandatory in our Code.These are shown in black font.

• Prohibition on pre-meeting briefing sessions (i.e. clauses 3.31 to 3.32)
• Edits to the Public Forum whereby public forums are to be held prior to meetings of the Council and Committee - Mandatory (i.e. clauses 4.1 to 4.3)
• New rules of etiquette at meetings to include a dress code (i.e. clause 5.2)
• Edits to Councillors’ attendance at meetings by audio-visual link (i.e. clauses 5.19 to 5.31)
• Edits to the Livestreaming of meetings (i.e. clause 5.9).
• Inclusion of Modes of Address (i.e. clause 7.1).
• Changes to voting of planning decisions (i.e. clauses 11.12 to 11.13)
• Making information considered at closed meetings public (i.e. clauses 14.19 to 14.20)
• Inclusion of Acts of Disorder (i.e clauses 15.10 to 15.13).

Some of the Supplementary changes are additional clauses included which reflect local current practice at Bayside Council to enhance our Code. These are shown in teal font.

• Inclusion of ‘Respectful’ in Meeting Principles (i.e. clause 2.1)
• Inclusion of timeframes for the submission of ‘Notices of Motion’ (i.e. Clause 3.10)
• Inclusion of reference to Written Submissions (i.e. clause 4.25)
• Inclusion of Exclusions on the ability to address Council (i.e. clauses 4.26 to 4.28)

• Minor edits to the Order of Business (i.e. clause 8.1)
• Inclusion of Foreshadowed motions (i.e. clauses 10.17 to 10.19)
• Inclusion of reference to rescinding and altering motions (i.e. clauses 17.12 to 17.14)
• Inclusion of Recommitting resolutions to correct an error (i.e. clauses 17.15 to 17.20).
• Inclusion of Time Limits on Council Meetings (i.e. clauses 18.1to 18.4)
• Inclusion of Tasks Groups, Working Parties and Advisory Committee (i.e. clauses 22.1 to 22.11)

• Inclusion of reference to Petitions (i.e. clauses 23.1 & 23.2).

• Inclusion of Code Implementation (i.e. clauses 25.1 to 25.3).
• Inclusion of Document Control (i.e. clauses 26.1 to 26.2)

For a full list of changes please refer to the report to the Council Meeting 22 October 2025.