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Role of Elected Members

Home > About Council > Mayor & Elected Members > Role of Elected Members

The Mayor and Elected Members are elected by the local community to represent the interests and needs of the community.

Norwood Streetscape Norwood Town HallElected Members provide community leadership and guidance and facilitate communication between the community and the Council.

Elected Members play a very important policy-making role, requiring the identification of community needs, setting objectives to meet those needs, establishing priorities between competing demands and allocating resources.

The role of the Mayor and the Elected Members is specified within the Local Government Act 1999.

 

Role of the Mayor

Section 59 of the Local Government Act 1999, sets out the role of the Mayor which is to:

  • preside at meetings of the Council
  • provide advice to the Chief Executive Officer between Council meetings on the implementation of a decision of the Council
  • act as principal spokesperson of the Council
  • exercise other functions of the council as the Council determines
  • carry out the civic and ceremonial duties of the office of principal member.

Role of the Elected Member

Included under Section 58 of the Local Government Act 1999, the role of the Elected Member is to:

  • participate in the deliberations and civic activities of the Council
  • keep the Council's objectives and policies under review to ensure that they are appropriate and effective
  • keep the Council's resource allocation, expenditure and activities, and the efficiency and effectiveness of its service delivery, under review
  • represent the interests of residents and ratepayers, to provide community leadership and guidance, and to facilitate communication between the community and the Council.

Behavioural Standards for Elected Members

The Behavioural Standards for Council Members are established by the Minister for Local Government pursuant to section 75E of the Local Government Act 1999

The Behavioural Standards set out minimum standards of behaviour that are expected of all Council Members in the performance of their official functions and duties. 

Download: Behavioural Standards for Council Members

For more information and to lodge a complaint, visit: Behavioural Standards for Elected Members