Councillor question time will remain a part of Hobsons Bay council meetings after an amendment to proposed new governance rules was passed at a meeting on August 26.
Cr Paddy Keys-Macpherson moved the amendment to re-instate councillor question time after it was removed from draft versions of the new governance rules in favour of an expanded public question time.
Despite the move alarming some former councillors and receiving strong opposition during community consultation, council officers argued that meetings were primarily a decision making forum where time was limited and that councillors could still make inquiries during the expanded public question time.
However, during debate Cr Keys-Macpherson moved his amendment to re-instate councillor questions, with each councillor limited to two questions on local government functions which council officers could take on notice.
“It is a worthwhile item to keep to be able to hold council officers accountable for actions going on,” said Cr Keys-Macpherson on why he moved the amendment which also proposed to move councillor question time to near the end of meetings rather than their current position near the start.
After the amendment was carried, the substantive motion to endorse the new governance rules was carried too.
The new governance rules, which have been reduced from 88 to 50 pages, will now be applied at council’s next meeting on September 23.
