The WA Local Government Association president and Joondalup mayor said the meetings were an example of an external requirement no longer required.
‘The current Local Government Act requires local governments to hold an annual electors’ meeting once a year to provide community members with their annual report and give them the opportunity to ask questions of their council,’ he said.
‘And yet changes to the Act over time mean this can all be done at any ordinary council meeting.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW‘Local governments spend thousands of dollars and many hours conducting these meetings that aren’t needed, just because government legislation requires them to do it.’
Mr Pickard said while the intent of the requirement ” to provide the opportunity for the community to learn of council activity ” was sound, there were many other avenues for this to occur.
‘While nobody would suggest that being able to source information and ask your question of council is a bad idea, why wait for a once-a-year event?’ he said. ‘It’s a waste of resources that could be better spent elsewhere.
‘Local government reform is a popular subject with State Government and as an association we support the continual improvement of the sector.
‘Reforming the annual electors meeting requirements is an easy and obvious reform for the Government to achieve and we have written to the Local Government Minister requesting he initiate this process.’