Council meeting types

Council (activity) briefings

Briefings are where staff share operational updates with councillors about various aspects of the organisation’s work and activities. These are held in the Council chamber.

✓ Open to the public
✓ Livestreamed

Council deliberations

This is a formal meeting, enabling Council to consider all relevant aspects of a matter before making a decision.  This type of meeting often comes after Council hearings and are held in the Council chamber.

✓ Open to the public
✓ Livestreamed

Council hearings

This is a formal meeting where the public can speak to a prior submission, present evidence, or have their say on matters before Council. These are held in the Council chamber.

✓ Open to the public
✓ Livestreamed

Council meetings

In these formal meetings, locally elected members discuss, debate and make decisions about issues that affect the community. Examples include setting policies, approving budgets, and deciding on specific work programmes.  Meetings follow a structured agenda; decisions are made through a vote and follow Standing Orders that govern how meetings are conducted. Meetings are usually open to the public and livestreamed, unless confidentiality is required under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) 1987. These are held in the Council chamber.

✓ Open to the public
✓ Livestreamed

Council workshops

An informal gathering or session where staff and elected members discuss specific topics of or issues related to council business. Decisions are not made at workshops but they provide an opportunity to discuss questions and answers. Council workshops are generally held in the Council chamber and are open to the public but can be held as public excluded for sensitive or confidential matters under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) 1987.

✓ Open to the public
× Not livestreamed

Council Committee meetings

A council committee meeting is where council members or appointees discuss and consider specific issues or policies related to local government functions. These meetings are typically held to receive reports, debate matters and make recommendations to Council. These are usually held in the Council chamber, but the location can sometimes vary.

✓ Open to the public
× Not livestreamed

Community board meetings

Regular gatherings where elected members and representatives from the council will discuss issues, make decisions on local issues and act as an advocate for the interests of their community. Most community board meetings are designed to be accessible to the public, allowing residents to attend, speak and participate. Methven Community board meetings are held at the Mount Hutt Memorial Hall.

✓ Open to the public
× Not livestreamed

Hall and reserve board meetings

Hall and reserve boards oversee the day-to-day operations, finances, and long-term planning, ensuring the assets serve the community and meets its intended purposes.

✓ Open to the public
×  Not livestreamed

Public excluded meetings

Public excluded council meetings are sessions where the general public, including media representatives, are not permitted to attend. These meetings are held to discuss specific matters that the council deems confidential or sensitive under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) 1987.

× Not open to the public
× Not livestreamed

Public meetings and community workshops

(these are not usually advertised on our Council Meetings page, but through other means of communication)

Sometimes council will hold community meetings or workshops as part of community engagement. These workshops can help inform the community about a council matter with questions and answers, or they can help inform council about the community’s views on a matter. These are often held in various locations that are easily accessible to the community and are not usually livestreamed, unless for exceptional reasons.

✓ Open to the public
×  Not usually livestreamed

Working group meetings

These are panels established to provide guidance to councils on specific areas of interest. They’re forums for discussion, feedback and recommendations that inform council policy and decision-making. These are generally not held in the Council chamber and are generally open to the public but can be held as public excluded for sensitive or confidential matters.

✓ Open to the public
× Not livestreamed