The Local Government Act 1995 requires every council to adopt a code of conduct for observance by all Elected Members, Committees, Officers and delegates representing the council. It is the personal responsibility of council officials to comply with the standards in the code and regularly review their personal circumstances with this in mind.
This Code is complementary to the principles adopted in the Local Government Act 1995 which incorporates four fundamentals that aim to result in:
- better decision-making by local governments;
- greater community participation in the decisions and affairs of local governments;
- greater accountability of local governments to their communities; and
- more efficient and effective local government.
The Code provides a guide and a basis of expectations for Elected Members and Officers. It encourages a commitment to ethical and professional behavior and outlines principles on which individual and collective Local Government responsibilities may be based. It should be read in conjunction with, and does not replace, the obligations set out in the Local Government Act 1995, any other Act or Regulation and the Council’s Standing Orders.
The parties to this code agree to abide by its provisions at all times having regard to the declaration of office and Council policy.