Provide feedback on updated Governance Rules

South Gippsland Shire Council is inviting community feedback on proposed updates to its Governance Rules.
Governance Rules help to define how Council Meetings are run, and how the public can participate. The review aims to improve and clarify processes, address previous inconsistencies, and strengthen good governance practices.

Proposed updates to the Rules include the following:

1. Public questions must now relate directly to items listed on the Council Meeting agenda.
   This approach is designed to improve meeting flow and ensure that questions are directed through the most appropriate channels for a timely response. Currently, questions submitted for Council Meetings must wait to be addressed at the meeting, even when they relate to matters that could be actioned earlier in accordance with Council’s Customer Service Charter.
   
   
2. Questions can be read out by the submitter.
   Agenda-related questions can be read out by the submitter if they choose to do so and if they are in attendance at the relevant Council Meeting.
   
   
3. Changes to submitted questions guidelines.
   - Limited to 100 words per question, inclusive of preamble and additional information.
   - Public questions submitted 48 hours prior to a Council Meeting.
   
   
4. Contract and tender reports.
   Will be considered in open Council Meetings, with confidential attachments used to protect sensitive commercial information.
   
   
5. Reordering of Agenda.
   The meeting agenda will be reordered so that items like petitions and public questions appear earlier in the session which would potentially be more convenient for community members looking to attend a meeting in-person.
   
   For other proposed updates, please review the full draft Governance Rules and Summary.
   
   Submissions close Friday 21 November 2025.