Roles and Codes

The role of councillors is to represent the community.
They make decisions that benefit their divisions as well as the Douglas Shire. Councillors are responsible for:

  • providing leadership to the local government and the community
  • planning for the delivery of services
  • strategic planning for the future
  • developing policy
  • making local laws
  • complying with legislation.

Ordinary Council meetings are held monthly to make decisions for the region. The council meetings are live streamed. See Council’s live streaming webpage to view past and live council meeting.

Council staff action the decisions made at council meetings.

Mayor’s Role

As well as being a councillor, the mayor has extra duties including:

  • leading and managing meetings of the local government at which the mayor is the chairperson, including managing the conduct of the participants at the meetings;
  • preparing a budget to present to the local government;
  • directing the chief executive officer and senior executive employees, in accordance with the local government’s policies;
  • ensuring that the local government promptly provides the Minister with the information about the local government area, or the local government, that is requested by the Minister;
  • being a member of each standing committee of the local government;
  • representing the local government at ceremonial or civic functions.

Councillor’s Role

  • ensuring the local government:
    • discharges its responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2009;
    • achieves its corporate and community plans;
    • complies with all laws that apply to local governments;
  • providing high quality leadership to the local government and the community;
  • participating in council meetings, policy development, and decision-making, for the benefit of the local government area;
  • being accountable to the community for the local government’s performance.

Councillor’s Code of Conduct

The Local Government Act 2009 has been amended to provide that the Minister must make a Code of Conduct for Councillors in Queensland that sets out the standards of behaviour for councillors and mayors in performing their functions.

The standards of behaviour are summarised as the three R’s, being:

1. Responsibilities
2. Respect
3. Reputation

The Code of Conduct for Councillors is backed by tougher penalties for those who breach the Code, including complaints that fall into corrupt conduct, misconduct, inappropriate conduct and a new category of unsuitable meeting conduct.

All councillors must declare that they will abide by this Code of Conduct when they are elected and will apply to all councils.

On 4 August 2020, the then Minister for Local Government approved amendments to the Code of Conduct to reflect legislation changes in effect on 12 October 2020 for conflicts of interests and councillor advisors.

Please note that Douglas Shire Council is not divided for electoral purposes (i.e. there are no electoral wards or divisions). Party politics have not been introduced into the Council.  Consult the Local Government Act 2009 for more details.

Expenses Reimbursement – Councillor’s Policy