Council's Ordinary and Special meetings are open to the public as part of Council's commitment to transparent decision making and engagement with our community.

Ordinary Meetings are held at the regional Customer Services Centres on a rotational basis.

COVID safe measures are in place for those attending meetings however due to the varied sizes of our Council Chambers, Council are limited to the number of visitors per meeting.  If you wish to attend a Council meeting, please arrive early to secure a seat as no booking system is in place. Once the room is at capacity, we are unable to accept any additional visitors.

The rules for conducting meetings are dictated by:-

• the Local Government Act 2009
• the Local Government Regulation 2012
• Western Downs Regional Council Meetings - Council Policy (Standing Orders).

Visitors must not interrupt the conduct of business at Council Meetings.  If a person interrupts or obstructs the proper conduct of the meeting, the Chairperson of the meeting may ask the person to withdraw from the meeting place.

Recording from the gallery is prohibited unless first approved by the Chairperson of the meeting.

The Local Government Regulation 2012 allows Council meetings to be closed to the public to discuss particular matters if Council consider it necessary.  Council resolutions (decisions) cannot be made while the meeting is closed to the public, the matter can only be discussed.   Decisions must be made in open session.  The reasons for which a Council meeting may be closed to the public are:

• the appointment, discipline or dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer
• industrial matters affecting employees
• the Council’s budget
• rating concessions
• legal advice obtained by the Council or legal proceedings involving the Council including, for example, legal proceedings that may be taken by or against the Council
• matters that may directly affect the health and safety of an individual or a group of individuals
• negotiations relating to a commercial matter involving the Council for which a public discussion would be likely to prejudice the interests of the Council
• negotiations relating to the taking of land by the Council under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967
• a matter the Council is required to keep confidential under a law of, or formal arrangement with, the Commonwealth or State.

To deal with confidential agenda items, Council will resolve to go into a closed session which requires all visitors to vacate the meeting room until the meeting is again opened by Council resolution.

The community can engage with Council through our meeting processes in the following ways:-

Petitioning Council

A petition is a formal written request signed by 10 or more people that can be used to lobby Council.

Any petition presented to a meeting of the Council shall:-

1. be in legible writing or typewritten and contain a minimum of 10 signatories;
2. include the name and contact details of the principal petitioner (i.e. the person who is the organiser and who will act as the key contact for the issue);
3. include the postcode of all petitioners; and
4. have the details of the specific request/matter appear on each page of the petition.

A petition may be presented to a meeting by a Councillor, the CEO or delegate who will read and state the nature of the petition.

Where a petition is presented to a meeting, no debate on or in relation to the petition shall be allowed, and the only motion which may be moved is that:-

1. the petition be received and a report be brought back to Council; or
2. the petition be received and no further action be taken; or
3. the petition not be received because it is deemed invalid.

Council will respond to the principal petitioner in relation to all petitions.

Deputations

Deputations are where an individual or a small group address Council on issues that are important to them.  The address can be on any topic, it does not need to be in relation to an item on the Meeting agenda.  Deputations from the public are welcome at Council's Ordinary Meetings.  Speaking time is generally limited to 5 minutes.

If you wish to make a deputation to a Council meeting, please complete the Request for Public to Address Council Form and forward to the Chief Executive Officer at info@wdrc.qld.gov.au, via post to PO Box 551, Dalby Q 4405 or deliver to a Council Customer Service Centre.  Applications must be received not less than one (1) day before the meeting unless otherwise determined by the CEO.