Scheduled Meetings of Council
Meetings of Council are held at 6.30 pm on the third Tuesday of the month (unless otherwise adopted). All meetings are COVID Safe, they are currently held in the Council Chambers in the Civic Centre in Lyttleton Street (entry via Lloyd Street).
The dates of Meetings of Council are advertised in Council's weekly column in the Midland Express each Tuesday.
Public Time
Public Time is held at each Meeting of Council. It runs for 30 minutes, but can be extended by a resolution of Council
.
Questions and Statements
Each person is limited to one (1) question or statement with a duration of three (3) minutes.
Questions / statements need to be submitted in writing by twelve noon on the day of the Council Meeting:
- Via email to governance@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or
- By hard copy at the Civic Centre (corner of Lyttleton & Lloyd Streets, Castlemaine).
Alternatively, you can register to speak at the Council by emailing governance@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or by calling our Governance Team on 5471 1700.
Registrations need to be received by twelve noon on the day of the Meeting of Council.
Provided that public questions and statements comply with the Governance Rules, they will be read out at the Meeting.
A Council officer will provide a response at the Meeting where possible. Some questions may need to be taken on notice (for example if further specific information is required to address the question).
Please note the below detail from Section 12 of the Governance Rules (2023)
12.1.6 Questions and statements to Council may be on any matter except if it:
(a) relates to a matter outside the duties, functions and powers of the Council;
(b) is defamatory, indecent, abusive, offensive, irrelevant, trivial or objectionable in language
or substance;
(c) is aimed at embarrassing a Councillor or a member of Council staff;
(d) relates to personnel matters;
(e) relates to the personal hardship of any resident or ratepayer;
(f) relates to industrial matters;
(g) relates to contractual matters;
(h) relates to legal advice;
(i) relates to a planning matter already listed on the Council Meeting Agenda;
(j) relates to matters affecting the security of Council property; or
(k) relates to any other matter which the Council considers would prejudice the Council or any
person; or
(l) Is a matter that the Chairperson considers has been previously responded to or is repetitive of
other questions asked or statements made.
Petitions and Joint Letters
If you wish to bring a petition or joint letter to Council it may be presented during Public Time.
The Governance Rules (2023) state that:
12.2.5 To be accepted, any petition, including those created and/or received electronically, must:
(a) be in legible and permanent writing;
(b) be clear, and state the matter and action sought from Council on each page;
(c) not be derogatory, defamatory or objectionable in language or nature;
(d) not relate to matters outside the powers of Council; and
(e) must include the full name, residential postcode and written or electronic signature of each petitioner and, as a minimum, must
also contain the full property address of at least 10 petitioners who own property or reside in Mount Alexander Shire.
Unscheduled Meetings of Council
Council may also call unscheduled meetings to address specific matters. Council will give public notice of the meeting in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020.