Council Meetings

Under the Local Government Act 1993 (The Act), Bankstown City Council is charged with the administration of our local government area. Accordingly, Council must conduct its business and decision-making in formal Council and committee meetings.

As a general legislative requirement, all Council and committee meetings must be open to the public. However, recognising the need for confidentiality in specified circumstances, Council can exclude the public and the press, provided the legislative requirements are met.

The Act determines issues such as the minimum number of Council meetings that must be held during the year, what constitutes a quorum, when notices of meetings must be given, the roles of various participants, that is, the Mayor, Councillors and the General Manager, along with restrictions and requirements that might impact on each of the roles.

Council has adopted a "Code of Meeting Practice" that complies with the Local Government (Meetings) Regulations 1999. This code contains the rules and regulations on how Council and committee meetings should be conducted and details issues and procedures for matters such as motions, amendments and the general conduct of speeches.

All Council meetings commence at 6.00 pm sharp and close by 10.30 pm, with only one extension to 11.00 pm permitted, if so resolved by Council. Any unfinished business will be referred to the next available Committee or Ordinary Meeting.

The following monthly meeting arrangements currently apply:

1st Tuesday of each month - No Scheduled Meeting

2nd Tuesday of each month - Development Committee

The Development Committee (comprising the whole of Council), meets on the second Tuesday of each month. It has delegated authority to deal with all matters submitted to Council in relation to rezoning, development applications related matters, building applications and related matters, and other land use issues.
Note: This is a public meeting.

Business Papers for Development Committee Meeting
These Business Papers contain reports prepared by various Council officers who submit their recommendation to the General Manager, based on their professional assessment of the issue(s) at hand.

View Council Meeting Documents Online

A full copy of the Agenda and Business Papers, including detailed plans can be viewed at Bankstown's Central Library, or any branch library (Chester Hill, Greenacre, Padstow and Panania) from 9.00am Saturday morning. The document is also available from Council's Customer Service Centre, Upper Ground Floor, Civic Tower, 66-72 Rickard Road, Bankstown from the Monday morning prior to the meeting.

3rd Tuesday of each month - No Scheduled Meeting

4th Tuesday of each month - The Ordinary Meeting of Council

The Ordinary Meeting is held every fourth Tuesday of each month and has total authority to make resolutions not otherwise ultra vires on any matter before Council. The Ordinary Meeting business deals with, but it is not limited to, Mayoral minutes, matters referred from previous Council and Committee meetings, reports of the General Manager, adoption of minutes of Standing Committees, mediation reports, notices of motions, matters for information, general business and confidential reports.

Note: This is a public meeting, however in certain prescribed circumstances Council may resolve to close all or part of the meeting and members of the public and the press can be excluded.

Business Papers for Ordinary Meeting of Council
These Business Papers contain reports prepared by various Council officers who submit their recommendation to the General Manager, based on their professional assessment of the issue(s) at hand.

View Council Meeting Documents Online

Extraordinary Meetings

An extraordinary meeting of the Council may be called as follows:

If the Mayor and the General Manager receive a request in writing signed by at least two Councillors, the Mayor or General Manager must call an extraordinary meeting of the Council as soon as practical, but within 14 days after receipt of the request (Section 366 of the Local Government Act 1993).
The Mayor or General Manager may call an extraordinary meeting of the Council in circumstances deemed by the Mayor and the General Manager to be both urgent and in Council's best interest.

Note: This is a public meeting, however in certain prescribed circumstances Council may resolve to close all or part of the meeting and members of the public and the press can be excluded.

View Council Meeting Documents Online

Mayoral Election Meeting

An extraordinary meeting will be held in September of each year and the first meeting following any ordinary election of Council shall be an extraordinary meeting called to determine the following agenda:

Election of the Mayor
Fixing of annual fees for Deputy Mayor
Election of the Deputy Mayor

Note: This is a public meeting.

Public Notice Meeting

The General Manager is required to advertise in a local paper the dates, times and venues for the meetings. All members are Councillors other than for the extraordinary meetings, called as a matter of urgency.

A copy of the meeting agenda is available to the public for inspection, and depending upon availability of extra copies for taking away, at the Central Library no later than the Saturday morning prior to the Tuesday evening meeting. Council will also endeavour to have the agenda available for inspection and limited copies for taking away at all associated branch libraries on the Saturday morning prior to the Tuesday evening of the meeting. Copies will also be available to be taken away from Council's Customer Service Centre.

Administration Requirements

Council's Governance & Administration Unit is responsible for the administrative functions necessary to ensure all meetings are called and managed in accordance with the various legislative requirements. For more information call (02) 9707 9937 or email governance@bankstown.nsw.gov.au