Workload to remain the same

The meeting follows the City councillors’ acceptance of the 2012-13 annual report at last month’s meeting.

At the same meeting, councillors also accepted the annual financial report, auditor’s report and activity statements for the financial year to June 30, 2013, and adopted the corporate business plan for 2013-18.

Before also adopting the revised procedures for strategy and briefing sessions and council and committee meetings, Cr John Chester gave an alternative recommendation to continue to allow councillors to request the chief executive to prepare reports.

‘I realise it may have the potential to create some work for the administration, but I have not seen it be abused in any way in the past four years,’ he said.

The council document stated the provision should be removed as it could be viewed as conflicting with the Local Government Act, which provides limited power for an individual councillor to direct administration. It said because briefing sessions were not for decision-making, a request for a report should be made at a council meeting, but Cr Chester’s recommendation was passed 7-5.