Appropriate use of the power to delegate can assist council to deal with matters that are minor, but potentially time-consuming. For example, council can delegate decisions regarding minor development applications to the planning and development committee.
A regular council meeting can set out council policy on developments and delegate minor applications to a standing committee such as a planning and development committee. The committee can make a decision on a specific application (providing it falls within the policy guidelines pre-determined by council) and advise the full council meeting of the decision in its next report to council.
Legislation extract
257 Delegation of local government powers
(1) A local government may, by resolution, delegate a power under this Act or another Act to—
(a) the mayor; or
(b) the chief executive officer, or
(c) a standing committee, or joint standing committee, of the local government; or
(d) the chairperson of a standing committee, or joint standing committee, of the local government; or
(e) another local government, for the purposes of a joint government activity; or
(f) a councillor, for the purpose of exercising a power as a shareholder in relation to a corporate entity.
(2) However, a local government must not delegate a power that an Act states must be exercised by resolution.
(3) A joint standing committee, of the local government, is a committee consisting of councillors of two or more of the local governments.