Council Adopts New Public Forum Guidelines

Published on 04 March 2026

Lane Cove Council has adopted new Public Forum Guidelines to provide a clear and consistent framework for how community members can address Council meetings.

At its Ordinary Meeting on 19 February 2026, Council unanimously resolved to adopt the Draft Public Forum Guidelines, based on the NSW Office of Local Government’s (OLG) Model Public Forum Rules and tailored to reflect local community expectations and established practices.

You can read the new Public Forum Guidelines here.

The Guidelines set out procedures for registration, speaking arrangements, supporting materials and expected conduct, ensuring public forums remain an effective and respectful platform for community engagement and informed decision-making.

Key changes include:

• A public forum to be held prior to each Ordinary Council Meeting for speakers addressing items on the meeting agenda.
• A community forum to follow, allowing speakers to raise matters not listed on the agenda.
• An opportunity for Councillors to ask questions of management in relation to matters on the agenda.  
• Provision for the General Manager to approve an extension of up to one hour (ie from 2 hours to 3 hours) for a public forum if requested by the Chairperson.
• The ability for the Chair to close the forum early if there are no further speakers and no additional information is sought by Councillors.

From March 2026, Ordinary Council Meetings will commence at 7:00pm. Public Forums will be held at 7:00pm on the Monday prior to the Council Meeting, in line with the new Guidelines.

Council also noted that Council’s Code of Meeting Practice has been updated to reflect the adopted Public Forum Guidelines.

The changes support Council’s commitment to strong governance and transparency, ensuring the community has a fair and accessible opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.

For more information about Council Meetings, visit Council Meetings | Lane Cove Council