Prospective candidates in the Singleton local government election in September are being invited to attend one of two Candidate Information Sessions to learn more about the responsibilities of local office.
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Facilitated by Local Government NSW, the workshops are designed to provide people with the information they need to make an informed decision prior to nominating, including the key requirements of becoming a councillor; rules and processes for registering as a candidate; the role of the elected Council; and key elements of council meetings.
Singleton Council has ten councillors one of which is an elected mayor a position currently held by Cr Sue Moore.
To make the experience as authentic as possible, the sessions will be held in the Singleton Council Chambers on Thursday, July 1, from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, and Friday, July 2 from 9am to 12pm.
The Candidate Information Sessions will be run by a facilitator who has been both a Mayor and a Councillor and will cover:
- the benefits and importance of local government
- understanding the role of Council and the role of a councillor
- a typical Council structure
- challenges of the role and how to meet them
- the importance of diverse representation on Council
- the importance of speaking out on key issues
- an introduction to meeting procedures and rules of debate
- support available including information and networks
- an introduction to local government jargon and what it means
Singleton Council General Manager Jason Linnane said councillors had an extremely important role to play in making decisions now and for the future of the local government area, and the Candidate Information Sessions would be extremely helpful for prospective councillors to find out what will be expected of them.
"The local government election is fast approaching and if you're passionate about what happens in our community, becoming a Councillor is a great opportunity to make a difference and to represent the interests of our residents," he said.
"The role of a councillor is rewarding and challenging and these sessions are designed so that you are fully briefed on the expectations placed on our Councillors should you be elected, so that you're able to make an informed decision before putting yourself forward as a candidate.
