50—Public consultation policies
(1) For the purposes
of this Act, a council must prepare and adopt a public consultation policy.
(2) A public
consultation policy—
(a) must
set out steps that the council will follow in cases where this Act requires
that a council must follow its public consultation policy; and
(b) may
set out steps that the council will follow in other cases involving council
decision-making.
(3) The steps referred
to in subsection (2)—
(a) in a
case referred to in subsection (2)(a)—must provide interested
persons with a reasonable opportunity to make submissions in the relevant
circumstances; and
(b) may
vary according to the classes of decisions that are within the scope of the
policy.
(4) However, a public
consultation policy for a case referred to in subsection (2)(a) must at
least provide for—
(a) the
publication of a notice—
(i)
in a newspaper circulating within the area of the
council; and
(ii)
on a website determined by the chief executive officer,
describing the matter under consideration and inviting interested persons to
make submissions in relation to the matter within a period (which must be at
least 21 days) stated in the notice; and
(b) the
consideration by the council of any submissions made in response to an
invitation under paragraph (a).
(5) A council may from
time to time alter its public consultation policy, or substitute a new policy.
(6) However, before a
council—
(a)
adopts a public consultation policy; or
(b)
alters, or substitutes, a public consultation policy,
the council must—
(c)
prepare a document that sets out its proposal in relation to the matter; and
(d)
publish in a newspaper circulating within the area of the council a notice of
the proposal inviting interested persons to make submissions on the proposal
within a period (which must be at least one month) stated in the notice; and
(e)
consider any submissions made in response to an invitation under
paragraph (d).
(7) A council is not
required to comply with subsection (6) in relation to the alteration of a
public consultation policy if the council determines that the alteration is of
only minor significance that would attract little (or no) community interest.
(8) A person is
entitled to inspect (without charge) a public consultation policy of a council
at the principal office of the council during ordinary office hours.
(9) A person is
entitled, on payment of a fee fixed by the council, to a copy of a public
consultation policy.
Chapter 5—Members of council