Council's Code of Meeting Practice is now on public exhibition specifically to seek community feedback as to whether a prayer should be read at the commencement of a Council meeting.

At its meeting on 16 March 2022, Council resolved that the Code of Meeting Practice be on public exhibition specifically to seek community feedback as to whether a prayer should be read at the commencement of a Council meeting. Section 8 of the Code of Meeting Practice ‘Order of Business at Ordinary Council Meetings’ includes reading a prayer.

The Model Meeting Code sets out mandatory provisions that a council must include in its code of meeting practice, as well as several non-mandatory provisions that a council may, but is not required to, include. The non-mandatory provisions reflect what the Office of Local Government (OLG) sees as being best practice for the relevant aspect of Council meetings.

Councils can also include supplementary provisions in their codes of meeting practice, so long as those provisions are not inconsistent with the mandatory provisions provided by the Model Meeting Code.

At the Council meeting held on 24 November 2021, the Interim Administrator noted that he had received feedback from some members of the community in relation to the prayer that is read at the commencement of Council meeting. The Interim Administrator also noted the prayer that has been read since Administration was an all-faith prayer.

Below you will find the prayer currently read by the Interim Administrator.

“Let us meet in this Council Chamber in a spirit of fellowship and goodwill to represent all the members of the community in its cultural and religious diversity. To be honest and objective in all our deliberations. To respect the view of the residents, the rights of all to express their opinions without fear or favour and to make decisions for the common good of the community.”

The draft Code of Meeting Practice was placed on public exhibition from 29 November 2021 to 16 January 2022. No submissions were received during this public exhibition.

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On 16 March 2022, Council resolved

THAT Council’s Code of Meeting Practice be placed on public exhibition to seek community feedback on the inclusion of a Prayer in Section 8 ‘Order of Business for Ordinary Council Meetings’.

Have your say by 4.30pm Friday 20 May 2022.

• Check out the Council report and the Code of Meeting Practice in the document library.
• Answer our two question survey here
• Complete an online submission form, send your thoughts to mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au or post to PO Box 141, Moss Vale 2577 to be received by 4.30pm Friday 20 May 2022.
• Ask us a question below or contact the Corporate Strategy and Governance Team on 02 4868 0888