The Council meeting this evening largely focused on strengthening Council’s procedures and processes, including improvements to the Governance Rules.

Governance Rules manage the conduct of Council Meetings, including how Councillors debate in the chamber and public interaction such as question time and other forms of engagement.

The draft Governance Rules address a number of inadequacies in Port Phillip’s existing rules, including a lack of time limits on Councillors speaking during debate, despite limits existing in most other Councils. The draft rules if adopted, will ensure Councillors manage debate effectively, by limiting the time required for this discussion.

The draft rules also provide a clear delineation between various forms of public engagement, ranging from public question time, through to the presentation of joint letters and petitions, as well restoring the ability to hold public deputations at Council meeting.

Public question time serves the purpose of addressing a specific Council concern but lacks the depth to engage in substantive discussion. Similarly, petitions and joint letters are useful at bringing a matter requiring action before Council, but are not always effective when the aim is to discuss policy or broader strategic challenges.

Deputations address the ability to engage in substantive discussion, by providing a mechanism for the community to discuss policy or strategic challenges at a public Council meeting. The format gives deputations official status, which requires Council to respond with recommendations addressing the subject matter of the deputation.

I introduced deputations when I was Mayor of Maroondah in 2010, largely based on the model that Port Phillip had the time. For some reason, the former Port Phillip Councillors seem to have removed deputations around 2022 removing an important method of community engagement. Re-introducing deputations strengthens good governance within Port Philip.

Council’s Governance Rules are available for community consultation, through Council Meetings Governance Rules Review 2025 | Have Your Say Port Phillip

Agenda and minutes of the Port Phillip Council meetings are available at Meetings and Agendas – City of Port Phillip