Penrith Councillors will have to seek approval from the General Manager before attending public meetings remotely.
It comes after Council reviewed its Councillor attendance requirements following concerns raised by veteran Liberal Councillor Ross Fowler.
Fowler raised his concern at Council’s May Ordinary Meeting and a report was presented at the June meeting outlining the facts of Councillors attending public meetings.
At the time, Fowler said he requested the report because there had been instances where Council Chambers had been half empty at public meetings.
“It probably goes back to a meeting several months ago and it was a public meeting, an ordinary council meeting, and half the chamber was empty,” Fowler said at the time.
“I thought we really do have a responsibility to the community and to the people who elected us to actually turn up to meetings and be present rather than online.”
Fowler believes that due to Councillors being publicly elected representatives they have a responsibility to attend the meetings in person and not remotely.
“I thought that yes, the responsibility as elected people is to be present for at least the public meetings which are 11 ordinary meetings and probably five or six policy review committee meetings a year which is not a big ask for our people to be there,” Fowler said.
“We do go to a lot of functions and a lot of other things, but the public meetings are the important place where people see their representatives in action and also make presentations if they want to and expect the people who represent them to listen to them.”
At the June meeting, Councillors moved to have the Model Code of Meeting Practice exhibited to the public and then brought before Council at the August meeting for endorsement.
The code was officially adopted at this week’s Council Meeting with amendments made to certain clauses.
It was agreed that provisions would be inserted in the Code that outlines criteria for remote attendance and that Councillors are required to seek approval from the General Manager providing reasons for the requirement to attend remotely.
The General Manager would then consider this in accordance with the Code. It was also suggested a statement be included in the Code indicating that Councillors should attend public meetings where possible in person.
Councillors are encouraged to attend the public meetings in person but there will continue to be a remote option.
“While encouraging Councillors to make reasonable efforts to attend Council meetings in person, the option of remote or hybrid attendance to Council meetings is also available to Councillors in certain circumstances with the approval of the General Manager,” a report to Council said.
“This is to facilitate greater inclusion and diversity in civic participation, by making the role of Councillor more accessible to people with work, disability and caring obligations.”
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.