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How Does Council Make Decisions?

Council is represented by an Elected Mayor (Paddi Creevey) and 12 Elected Members (or Councillors) representing East, North, Coastal and Town Wards.

The Mayor and Councillors, with their wealth of experience and commitment serve to meet the requirements of the community at all times and are readily available to residents. For more information on your Elected Members, please click here.

Mandurah City Council meets on a regular basis to discuss issues of management relating to the City, and to make decisions and develop policy for its future. Formal Council meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month, while Special Council meetings are held as required.

In addition Council supports Ward Briefings in each of the 4 wards, as a method of disseminating information, and obtaining vital community feedback and input into its decision-making processes.

Much of the Council's business is handled by its 2 standing Committees – the Planning, Community Development and Sustainability Committee (that meets on the first Tuesday of every month) and the Governance and Infrastructure Committee (that meets on the second Tuesday of every month). Each Committee comprises of 6 Elected Members.

At the City of Mandurah, recommendations on various matters are prepared by Council officers in a detailed report. The reports are then presented to an appropriate Committee for consideration.

It is important to emphasise that as Committee's do not have delegated powers to make decisions on behalf of the Council, all the recommendations from Committees are placed before the monthly meeting of full Council for formal debate. Council may accept these recommendations, change them or refer them back to the appropriate committee or a briefing for further consideration. Therefore, decisions made at committee meetings cannot be implemented until they have been given approval by full Council, and members of the public should not rely on any decisions made at a committee meeting, until Council has formally considered the recommendations that have been made.

Council and Committee meetings are open to the public unless items of a confidential nature are being discussed. In these circumstances, a resolution will be passed by the Committee or Council, and members of the public, members of the press and non-essential personnel will be asked to leave the meeting. The agenda for each meeting sets out the items of business to be considered and the order in which they will be dealt with.

At meetings of Committees and full Council, members of the public are able to ask questions or make a deputation. For more information on how to ask a question or make a deputation, please click on the respective link shown in the column on the left hand side of this page.

Agendas and reports for Committee and Council meetings are made available for public inspection on the Friday before the meeting at the following locations:

• Mandurah Library
• Falcon e-Library & Community Centre
• Reception Area at the City's Administration Centre
• On-line
  

After the meeting is held, Minutes are produced that provide a detailed record of the meeting – who attended, the business that was considered and the decisions (or in the case of Committees, the recommendations) that were made.

Again, Minutes for meetings of Committees and Council are published on the City’s website (please click on the Agendas and Minutes link shown in the column on the left hand side of this page.

In respect of Committee meetings, minutes will be published within 5 business days. Minutes for Council meetings will be published within 10 business days.

Alternative formats of Agendas and Minutes can be provided upon request. For further information, please contact the Minutes Officer by telephoning (08) 9550 3777.