ABOUT COUNCIL - Parramatta City Council - NSW Government

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HOW COUNCIL WORKSThe local government area (LGA) of Parramatta is dividedinto five wards: Caroline Chisholm, Arthur Phillip, ElizabethMacarthur, Lachlan Macquarie and Woodville. The unevenshape of the LGA reflects the 1948 amalgamation of theneighbouring local government areas of Dundas, Ermington,Rydalmere and Granville councils. The 15 Councillors thatform Council’s governing body carry out a range of duties andresponsibilities as set out in the Local Government Act 1993which include:• directing and controlling the affairs of Council inaccordance with the Act• creating and reviewing policies, objectives and criteriarelating to Council’s management planning• reviewing how well Council delivers its key services andprojects as set out in its Delivery Program and OperationalPlan and policies• providing leadership and guidance to the community• facilitating interaction between Council and itscommunity.HOW AND WHEN ARE COUNCILLORS ELECTED?Every four years, Parramatta residents elect 15 Councillorsto serve the local community, with three chosen to representeach of the five wards. The last Councillor election was heldon 13 September 2008. Each year, Parramatta’s Councillorshold a Lord Mayoral election to determine who will serveas Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor for the following 12months. The most recent Lord Mayoral election was held on29 September 2010 where Councillors J Chedid andM McDermott were duly elected as Lord Mayor and DeputyLord Mayor respectively.WHO STANDS FOR COUNCIL?As in State Government elections, local governmentcouncillors identify either as candidates of a registeredpolitical party or as an independent. While elected on a wardbasis, Councillors can be contacted on any matter beforeCouncil. Most Councillors perform their civic duties on a parttimebasis and receive a remuneration to help compensate forthe time they spend representing their community.WHAT HAPPENS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS?During 2010/11 Councillors convened in the Civic Place CouncilChamber for 22 ordinary and three special meetings. Their taskwas to determine policies, consider reports, assess matters ofpublic interest such as major development applications, andto adopt Council’s four-year Delivery Program and Budget.Chaired by the Lord Mayor, these meetings allow interestedmembers of the public to see their Council in action, with theexception of confidential items. Between Council meetings,the Lord Mayor represents the elected Council.For more information about Parramatta’s Councillors, go to.WHEN ARE COUNCIL MEETINGS HELD?Members of the public are welcome to attend Councilmeetings. Two meetings are held each month, on the secondand fourth Monday at 6.45pm on the fourth floor of theCouncil Chamber Building in Civic Place, Parramatta. Themeeting held on the second Monday deals with regulatorymatters only (ie development applications) while the meetingheld on the fourth Monday deals with all issues.Council’s business papers can be viewed on Council’s website and hard copies of the agendaare available in Council’s libraries and our 30 Darcy StreetCustomer Contact Centre on the Tuesday prior to the meeting.44 PARRAMATTA CITY COUNCIL - ANNUAL REPORT 2010/11
PUBLIC FORUMS AT COUNCIL MEETINGSAny person may submit a question, comment or statementto the public forum session of Ordinary Council Meetings.Questions may relate to general policy matters ordevelopment applications but must not refer to or makereflections on individual councillors or staff or address itemsof a confidential nature.Questions or statements must be addressed to the Lord Mayorwho may nominate another Councillor or staff member toprovide a response, if necessary. Questions or issues must belodged in writing with name and contact details by 4pm onthe Friday prior to the meeting. A maximum of five minuteshas been allocated for each item of Public Forum with amaximum of 15 minutes being permitted for the entireconsideration of the Public Forum section.Further details or questions relating to Public Forum may bedirected to Grant Davies on 02 9806 5314.LORD MAYORAL AND COUNCILLOR FEESThe Lord Mayor and Councillors’ remuneration for the period1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 was set at $69,780 and $23,950respectively, with the Lord Mayoral fee being paid in additionto the Councillor fee. Total expenditure on Lord Mayoraland Councillor fees for this period amounted to $429,030,made up of Councillors fees ($359,250 and Lord Mayor’s fees($69,780).COUNCILLOR FACILITIES AND EXPENSESCouncil reimbursed all reasonable travelling expenses ormade available a pool car to Councillors for use on Councilbusiness. Costs involved with attendance at conferences andseminars approved by Council were reimbursed. Councillorswere also provided with meals prior to attending Council andCommittee meetings.Council provided each Councillor with an office and facilitiessuch as a notebook computer and printer, secretarial support,mobile telephone, electronic organiser and other officeequipment. The Lord Mayor, in addition to the above, wasprovided with a fully subsidised vehicle, personal assistanceand secretarial/administrative support. All such activitiesand provisions were in accordance with Council’s Civic OfficeExpenses and Facilities Policy.ATTENDING CONFERENCESCouncil Support staff organised Councillor attendance atconferences addressing current issues confronting andimpacting on the local government sector and to meet withother Councillors, to the value of $60,916.25. Conferencesattended included Urban Planning and Development Summit,Future of Local Government, International Cities and Towns,and the 13th International Riversymposium.Page 228 for more details on Councillor Fees and Expenses.Page 228 for details of overseas trips undertaken byParramatta City CouncillorsPage 229 For details of conferences attended in 2010/11Page 229 for Council’s policy on the provision of facilitiesfor use by Councillors and the payment ofCouncillors’ expensesPage 229 for the total amount of money expended duringthe year on the provisions of Councillor facilitiesand the payment of Councillor expenses.PARRAMATTA CITY COUNCIL - ANNUAL REPORT 2010/1145
Page 2 and 3: WHAT WE DODeputy Lord Mayor, Counci
Page 4 and 5: PARRAMATTA AT A GLANCEPARRAMATTA’
Page 6 and 7: PARRAMATTA’S PROUD PAST• Home t
Page 8 and 9: YEAR IN REVIEW 2010/11Parramatta’
Page 12 and 13: HOW COUNCIL IS ORGANISEDOUR COMMUNI
Page 14 and 15: CORPORATE GOVERNANCECODE OF CONDUCT
Page 16 and 17: ACCESS TO INFORMATIONUNDER SECTION
Page 18 and 19: ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITYWELCOMINGFEED
Page 20 and 21: ADVOCATING FOR OUR COMMUNITYADDITIO
Page 22 and 23: THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKF
Page 24 and 25: HOW WE DELIVERED ON OUR CORPORATE S
Page 30 and 31: BALANCED SCORECARD KEY PERFORMANCE
Page 32 and 33: HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCESSTRATEGIC
Page 34 and 35: ABOUT THESE RESULTSCapital Expendit

ABOUT COUNCIL - Parramatta City Council - NSW Government

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