Committees of Council

Committees of Council play an important role in providing a mechanism for consultation, input and community engagement with residents, stakeholders and our various Town and Progress/Village Associations and this review seeks to support an effective and appropriate committee structure.

Committees have no budget, unless specified, nor any delegation of authority to make decisions or bind Council to any action.  Upon considering a matter, advice is provided to Council via recommendations made and recorded in Committee Meeting Minutes and presented to Council for adoption or exclusion at the next available Council meeting.

Council Committee meetings are held in Council facilities after hours in most cases, and a member of the senior staff team provides the secretarial and administration support at no additional overtime cost to the organisation. 

Councillors travel expenses in undertaking their duties, roles and responsibilities include representing Council are addressed in Councils Payment of Expenses and Provisions of facilities to Mayors and Councillors Policy. Community representatives are volunteers and contribute without any reimbursement of travel or other meeting expenses. 

Termed a Section 355 Committee, Council may establish a Committee of Council to exercise its functions on Council’s behalf as per section 355(b) of the NSW Local Government Act (1993). Division 5 (s259-271) of the Local Government

Current Committees

Following the Local Government Elections, at the Council meeting held on Monday 25 September it was resolved to maintain the following Committees of Council as per section 355(b) of the Local Government Act (1993) for the new Council term;

1. Australia Day Committee
The role of the Blayney Shire Australia Day Committee is to assess the nominations and select the award recipients in each category for the annual Australia Day Awards for Blayney Shir

2. Financial Assistance Program Advisory Committee

The role of the Blayney Shire Financial Assistance Program Committee is to, in accordance with s.356 of the Local Government Act (1993), the Blayney Shire Community Financial Assistance Policy and current Blayney Shire Community Financial Assistance Guidelines

• undertake the assessment of applications received
• provide detailed recommendations to Council for the granting or otherwise of such financial assistance
• review on an annual basis and make recommendations to Council Recurrent Annual Donations List

3. Blayney Shire Floodplain Management Committee

The role of the Blayney Shire Floodplain Committee is to assist Council in the development and implementation of a Floodplain Risk Management Plan for the township of Blayney and surrounding Villages (subject to funding).

4. Disability Inclusion Working Group

The Disability Inclusion Working Group is tasked with monitoring and developing strategies to maintain Council’s commitment to improving access for all community members to a range of services implementing the Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). The Plan sets out Council’s actions to support inclusion of people with a disability.

5. Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee

Council’s Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (also known as 'ARIC') was formed in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 – Sect 428A and complies with the Local Government (General) Amendment (Audit, Risk and Improvement Committees) Regulation 2023.

The ARIC monitors the following aspects of Council’s operations:

• compliance
• risk management
• fraud control
• financial management
• governance
• implementation of the strategic plan, delivery program and strategies
• service reviews
• collection of performance measurement data by the council
• any other matters prescribed by the regulations

The ARIC also provides information to Council to improve Council's performance of its functions.

Check the key dates page for Committee Meeting dates.

6. Visitor Economy Working Group

 

How do I become a member of a Committee?

Members of the public are encouraged to nominate for membership to a Section 355 or and other committee activities as a volunteer member.

Council encourages community participation in a number of its functions. One way in which citizens can become involved is by becoming a member of a committee. Nominations are invited and promoted following Local Government Elections. Any casual vacancies will be promoted as they arise.

Committee Nomination Form - Committee Charters and Terms of References can be found below.

Related Documents

• Disability Inclusion Working Group Charter
• Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Terms of Reference
• Internal Audit Charter
• Visitor Economy Working Group Charter