Ipswich City Council Administrators Update - Vision 2020 January 2020

3. HOW YOUR COUNCIL INTERACTS WITH ITS COMMUNITY

3.1 COUNCILLOR ROLES

This chapter addresses the reforms undertaken (and some still underway) in the key areas of council that interact directly with Ipswich residents and ratepayers: What your mayor and councillors’ roles and responsibilities are; How your mayor and councillors should conduct themselves; How your councillors are elected by the community through divisional arrangements;

AND RESPONSIBILITIES The roles of the mayor and councillors of local governments across Queensland are defined within section 12 of the Local Government Act 2009 and, in summary, are to: represent the current and future interests of the residents of the local government area; ensure the council discharges its responsibilities under the Act; provide high quality leadership to the local government and the community; participate in council meetings, policy development, and decision-making, for the benefit of the local government area; and be accountable to the community for the local government’s performance. The mayor and councillors provide strategic leadership and direction to the council. They do not have a role in directing or undertaking operational work of the council. The Act (section 170) specifically forbids the mayor and councillors from directing any council employee; other than the mayor directing the CEO. It is entirely reasonable for Ipswich residents and ratepayers to expect their mayor and councillors to undertake their roles in accordance with the law. ensure the council achieves its corporate plan; ensure the council complies with all laws;

How your council undertakes community engagement;

How your council manages its donations and grants to community organisations; How your council supports Christmas season events; How your council prepares its land-use Planning Scheme;

How your council deals with development applications;

How your council is delivering the Ipswich CBD redevelopment;

How your council prepares local laws;

How your council deals with public and personal information in its possession; and

How your council deals with your complaints.

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