Attendance at an Electors' Meeting

All attendees must register their attendance before the meeting commences.

Please ensure you provide your full name, address, and contact number.  These details will be recorded on an attendance register (used for internal record purposes only).  Only your name will be published, if you do attend the meeting.

At the Elector’s Meeting all attendees must:-

• remain seated at all times during the meeting, unless invited by the presiding person to address the meeting.
• not cause any disturbance or disrupt the meeting proceedings in any way.
• must be fair and respectful before, during and after the meeting; and
• comply with this procedure and the direction of the presiding person at all times.

Attendees who do not adhere to this procedure, may be requested by the presiding person to leave the meeting and/or the building, and that person (or persons) must comply with the direction of the presiding person.

Addressing the Meeting as a verified elector

When speaking at the meeting, a speaker must:

• Rise and move to where the microphones are presented by staff, unless unable to do so by reason of sickness or disability.
• Use the microphone provided.
• State his or her name for recording in the minutes.
• Address the meeting through the presiding person.
• Limit statements to fact, not opinion or suppositions.
• Not reflect adversely on Council Members or Shire employees; and
• Refrain from making repetitive comment on matters that have already been discussed, to ensure the meeting can progress effectively.

Participants of an Electors' Meeting

All participants at an electors’ meeting must be verified electors.

A verified elector is an elector whose name and address are recorded on the:

• Shire of Toodyay Owner’s and Occupiers Roll from the last Ordinary local government election held as an owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Toodyay; or
• State Electoral Roll via the Western Australian Electoral Commission website (elections.wa.gov.au/enrol). Electors may check if they are enrolled via the Australian Electoral Commission (www.aec.gov.au).; or
• A ratepayer of the Shire of Toodyay.

For clarity, a person who is not a verified elector may not participate in an electors’ meeting.

Only verified electors may address an electors’ meeting.

Recording and Live Broadcast

The proceedings will not be recorded as there is not a requirement to do so in the regulations.

Order of Proceedings

The annual electors’ meeting will start at 6.30pm and doors will be open from 5.30pm.  The elector’s meeting will conclude when the Presiding Member has closed the meeting.

The order of the proceedings will be:

1. Opening and Announcement of Visitors;
2. Attendances and apologies;
3. Officer Report;
4. General Business
   • Public questions about the annual report
   • Motions may only relate to matters that affect the local government and will be accepted at the discretion of the presiding person.
5. Closure

Asking Public Questions

Procedure set by the Shire President pursuant to regulation 7(1)(a) of the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996

Electors who wish to ask a question must complete a Public Question Registration Form and submit it to the Chief Executive Officer via email: records@toodyay.wa.gov.au or in person at the Shire of Toodyay Administration Office, 15 Fiennes Street, Toodyay WA 6566 before 12 noon on the day of the Elector’s Meeting.

Anyone that is incapable of submitting their questions in writing due to a physical or other limitation is requested to contact the Shire of Toodyay as assistance is available.

A register will be kept of incoming questions.  Questions will be asked and responded to in order of receipt.  The person presiding the meeting will manage public question time and ensure that each person wishing to ask their pre-submitted questions is given a fair and equal opportunity to do so. 

The following general rules apply to question time:

• A person is required to state their name and to what item on the agenda their question refers to before they ask their question. Two questions are permitted to be asked at a time.
• Any preamble to provide context before a question is to be brief and relevant to the question itself and must directly support the question being asked.
• Questions should not include a statement or personal opinion.
• Questions may not be directed at specific Councillors or employees;
• Questions are not to be framed in such a way as to reflect adversely on a Councillor or Employee.
• No debate or discussion about the question or answer will take place at the meeting.
• No member of the public may interrupt the meeting’s proceedings or enter into private conversations.
• Questions asked will be included in the minutes of the meeting however any pre-amble to the questions asked will not be included.
• If questions cannot be answered at the meeting they will be ‘taken on notice’ and a written response will be provided. 

Putting a motion to an Electors' Meeting

Motions must be submitted prior to the Elector’s Meeting when registering to attend.  Proposed motions are to be provided in writing, at least three days prior to when the meeting is to be held. (by 4.00pm on Monday 1 September 2025).

Please note that:

• Motions from the floor will not be accepted.
• Motions will be presented to the meeting in the order the Shire has received them.
• Motions from electors will be read aloud by the presiding person.
• The presiding person will request a mover and a seconder for a motion.
• A speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to make a statement on their motion.
• To ensure efficient and equitable time for all electors submitted motions, an abbreviated debating protocol will be used.
• The mover will be invited to read their motion.
• The presiding person will then call for a seconder for the motion, and any speakers against the motion.
• There being no speakers against the motion, the presiding person will put the motion to the vote.
• No motion is open to debate until it has been seconded.
• If there are speakers against the motion, the following debating protocol will apply.
• The mover of a motion will be invited to speak first, and the speaker against the motion will be invited to speak next.
• The presiding person will then call for other verified electors who wish to speak with a maximum of three speakers for and three speakers against the motion.
• Each speaker will be given a maximum of three minutes each and may only speak once on a motion.
• The mover of a motion has the right of reply, limited to a maximum of three minutes.

This closes the debate.

Voting at an Electors' meeting 

Ref:  Reg 17

The presiding person will ask for a vote on the motion. Each verified elector is entitled to one vote on each matter to be decided at the meeting. An elector does not have to vote. Voting is determined by raising their hand either for or against a motion, at the time the presiding person calls for the vote. Voting at a general or special meeting of electors are to be decided by a simple majority of votes.

Minutes and Decisions of an Electors' Meeting 

Ref Act sections 5.32 and 5.33

Minutes of this meeting will be available to members of the public as soon as is practicable after the meeting and before the Council meeting at which decisions made at the electors’ meeting are considered. All decisions made at an electors’ meeting are to be considered at the next ordinary Council Meeting. The decisions of an electors’ meeting are not binding on the Council, but as required by the Act, the reasons for any Council decision of this meeting are to be recorded in the minutes of the Council meeting.

Meeting Agenda and its Attachments

Previous Elector Meetings Agendas and Minutes can be located through this link: https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/council-meetings/past