Minutes of the ordinary Council meeting - 25 September 2012

Councillor Patterson was declared elected as Deputy Mayor.
Director Corporate Management Recommendation:
That election of a Deputy Mayor be held.
RECOMMENDATION IMPLICATIONS
Environmental, Economic, Social: Nil
Policy or Statutory: Section 231 of the Local Government Act provides for the
election of Deputy Mayor.
REPORT DETAILS
Section 231 of the Local Government Act provides that Councillors may elect from
among their number a Deputy Mayor, and any such election may be for the Mayoral
term or a shorter term. A Council does not have to elect a Deputy Mayor.
The Deputy Mayor may exercise any function of the Mayor at the request of the
Mayor, of if the Mayor is prevented from exercising the function; or if there is a
casual vacancy in the office of Mayor.
Section 249 provides that “a council may pay the Deputy Mayor (if there is one) a
fee determined by the council for such time as the Deputy Mayor acts in the office
of the Mayor. The amount of the fee so paid must be deducted from the Mayor‟s
annual fee”.
The procedure for election of Deputy Mayor is as follows:
Nominations
The Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 provides that nominations for
Deputy Mayor must be in writing, signed by two Councillors (one of whom may be
the nominee), and the nominee must consent in writing to the nomination.
Nominations are to be “delivered or sent to the returning officer”, that is the
General Manager, who shall announce the names of the nominees at the Council
meeting at which the election is to be held.
A nomination form for Deputy Mayor has been provided to Councillors with this
agenda.
Method of election
Where only one Councillor is nominated, that Councillor is declared elected.
Where more than one Councillor is nominated, the Council is to resolve whether the
election is to proceed:
by preferential ballot;
by ordinary ballot; or
by open voting.
Preferential ballot and ordinary ballot are secret ballots, whereas open voting
means by a show of hands or similar means.
Kempsey Shire Council FULL TEXT Minutes Ordinary Meeting 25 September 2012 Page 74