Why we're consulting
The Election Period Policy is a part of the Governance Rules, and it was last updated at the council meeting of November 20, 2023.
Since then, new legislation has been passed which impacts the timing of the commencement of the Election Period. Therefore, it is proposed the policy be updated to take account of the change to the commencement of the Election Period, as well as several other changes identified by the Executive which will provide greater clarity for staff, councillors and candidates.
The changes involve:
- New section on staff as candidates – this section is based on the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act)
- New section on election signage – this section is based on the requirements of the Act, the Wodonga Planning Scheme and the Environment and Community Protection Local Law 2024
- New section on staff supporting a candidate
- Staff utilisation of social media – references to the Staff Code of Conduct
- New section on citizenship ceremonies
- Changes to the dates for the election period
- Update to the manager role following the organisational restructure
- Removal of certification requirement for documents, to be replaced by approval by Executive, rather than just the CEO.
Following the council meeting on Monday, July 15, 2024, we are seeking community feedback on the proposed changes to the document.
