Last August, the Chief Municipal Inspector (CMI) wrote to all Council CEOs requesting a response to several questions around updates to the EPP. Moira Shire was excluded given it is currently under Administration.
Responses were received from 71 of the 78 councils where elections were to be held.
Key findings:
- Majority of councils had updated their EPP in 2024; many of which amended it to reflect the legislative change in June 2024
- With regards to public input into the EPP process; fifteen councils only informed their community that the policy had been updated, while the remainder sought written comment from their community
- Most councils took a proactive approach to councillor and officer training around EPP requirements and compliance; using briefing sessions or dedicated training sessions - however, five councils had not delivered any form of training to councillors around EPP provisions and requirements
The Inspectorate received several enquiries from Governance staff at various councils about what decisions could and could not be made during the 2024 Election Period. The range of queries, along with differences in approaches between councils identified through the Inspectorate's audit, suggests that a standardised EPP across the State of Victoria would be beneficial.
Further information about the findings of the audit can be found here.
Updated