Council Meetings

Overview

To access agenda items and/or minutes for Council meetings please see Agendas and Minutes (Business Papers).

Extra health measures at Council meetings

For the health and safety of residents, visitors, councillors and staff, social distancing measures will be in place at Council’s Public Forum and Council meetings from 24 March 2020.

If you would prefer not to attend for your health and safety, but wish to submit a question to the public forum, we will treat the question in the usual manner. You can submit your question as usual and provided it complies with Council’s requirements, it will be accepted, read out by staff at the Public Forum and actioned as if it was asked by you at the forum.

Additionally, rather than personally attend, you can listen to the Council meeting live online.

 

How Council Meetings Work

Meeting Process 

Ordinary Council meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 7pm. A quorum of seven Councillors is required to allow a Council Meeting to proceed. The Mayor acts as an impartial Chairperson for all Council meetings.

During each meeting, Council considers items (reports) that have been referred from the Standing Committees - that is the Outcomes, Services, or Traffic Committees. Each of these items contains a recommendation or motion from the Standing Committee.

Councillors may direct questions relating to a particular item to the Mayor or the Chairperson of the Committee. The Council will move a motion for each item and each Councillor has an opportunity to speak on each motion. At the conclusion of debate each item is put to the Council and a vote is taken.

For further information on meeting procedures please refer to the Council’s Code of Meeting Practice.

Should you have any enquiries, please contact Manager Governance and Legal or the Governance Coordinator on 9725 0222.

Mayoral Process

The Mayor may put to a meeting (without notice) any matter the Council is allowed to deal with or which the Council officially knows about.

This would cover any Council function under the Act or other legislation, or any matter that has been brought to the Council’s attention, for example, by letter to the mayor or the general manager.

This power to make Mayoral Minutes recognises the special role of the Mayor. A Mayoral Minute overrides all business on the agenda for the meeting and the Mayor may move that the Minute be adopted without the motion being seconded.

 

Access to Council Meetings

Public Attendance

All Council and Committee meetings are open to the public and media, apart from those parts that are in closed session to consider confidential items.

Members of the public can also address Committee meetings on items that are on the Committee's agenda. Normally only two (2) speakers are permitted for each item – one in support, the other against. Requests for more than two speakers must be submitted to the Committee for consideration.

If you wish to speak to the Committee on an agenda item, contact either the:

  • Council Officer who advised you, or 
  • The Council Officer who wrote the report, or 
  • The Governance Co-ordinator by calling 9725 0222 or emailing mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au by 9am on the Monday before the Services or Outcomes meeting or 4pm on the Friday before the Traffic Committee.

If an item directly affects you as a resident (e.g. an application you have lodged with the Council), you will normally be advised of when the item is being discussed.

When attending meetings, people must not interrupt proceedings and silence should be observed. When entering or leaving the Council Chambers, acknowledgment should be given to 'The Chair' by way of a simple nod of the head in the Chairperson's direction.

Live Streaming

With our live streaming service you can listen to Council meetings and Committee Meetings online, without having to attend.

Listen to Meetings Live.

Ask a Question at the Public Forum

If you wish to ask a question at the public forum, please download and complete this form(DOC, 173KB).

Please read Part 4 of the Code of Meeting Practice(PDF, 370KB) before completing this form.

For further information you can contact us on 9725 0222.

The Application needs to be lodged no later than noon (12pm) on the day of the Ordinary Council Meeting.

Protecting Your Privacy

The personal information requested on this form will be used only to fulfil the purpose for which it is being collected. The supply of this information by you is voluntary, but if you cannot or do not wish to provide the personal information sought, we may not be able to process your form.

 

 

Meeting Calendar 2024

  WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5
2023 Councillor
Briefings 
Committees Councillor
Briefings
Council Councillor
Briefings
Traffic Outcomes
Services
6.30pm 2.30pm 6.30pm 6.30pm 7.00pm 6.30pm
January          
February 6 12 13 20 27  
March 5
12 19 26  
April 2 8 9 16  23  30
May 7   14 21 28  
June 4 3 11   25
July 2   9 16 23 30 
August 6 12 13 20 27  
September  
    24
October 1 14 8 15 22 29
November 5 - 12   26  
December   9 3   10  

 

Notes:

  • Dates and start times may vary. Please ensure that you confirm prior to the meeting.
  • Due to the King's Birthday Public Holiday (10 June), the Traffic Committee Meeting is brought forward one week.
  • Due to the National General Assembly being held from 16 to 19 June 2024, no Councilor Briefing will be held in Week 3 of June. Therefore, there will be no Briefings on 18 June 2024.
  • Due to the Local Government Election on Saturday 14 September 2024, there will be no Committee Meetings in September. An Extraordinary Council Meeting to elect the Deputy Mayor and committee membership or any other urgent business (excluding major decisions during the caretaker period) will be held in September.
  • Due to the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Conference in Tamworth (17-19 November), no Councillor Briefing will be held in Week 3.
  • Due to the Christmas period, Services & Outcomes Committee Meetings will be held in Week 1 and Traffic Committee will be held in Week 2 of December. The Ordinary Council Meeting in December will be in Week 2.
  • Councillor Briefings are attended by Councillors and staff only.