Council received the Minister’s letter on Tuesday 10 November 2026 and has 14 days to respond. It will consider and endorse its submission at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 19 November.

The draft order follows concerns about conduct and behaviour at council meetings. On 22 October, the Minister notified council that he was considering suspending it for three months under section 438I of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW). The notice cited the conduct of meetings, repeated NSW Police involvement in maintaining order, and the deterioration of working relationships between councillors.

At an extraordinary meeting on 2 November, councillors unanimously resolved to propose an Improvement Plan in place of suspension. The plan included mediation and training, and a request for a temporary adviser. Councillors also signed a Good Conduct Undertaking.

Under the draft order, council would work for six months with a Temporary Adviser appointed by the Minister. Additional training would cover meeting procedures, the code of conduct, management of disorder and dissent, compliance with expulsion orders, and respectful debate.

The Minister has also set expectations for behaviour in the chamber. These include zero tolerance for abusive or offensive language, threats, and unfavourable personal remarks about another council official. Councillors are also expected not to interject or speak over others.

The Temporary Adviser will report independently to the Minister on councillor participation and on implementation of the improvement plan. Council will provide three compliance reports to the Office of Local Government over the six months, covering action taken under the Code of Conduct and the Code of Meeting Practice.

Mayor Cr Susannah Pearse said council sees the order as an opportunity to rebuild confidence. She said the requirements “largely reflect good governance and collective commitment to basic minimum standards.”