4.1.5 Appointing the deputy mayor, governing body committees and establishing an office

 

  1. The mayor may appoint the deputy mayor, establish governing body committees and appoint their chairs [1].

  2. The mayor’s power to establish governing body committees is taken to include the power to determine their names and terms of reference, and to appoint the committees’ members, chair and deputy chair [2]. The mayor also has the power to disestablish committees [3].  

  3. The governing body does not have the power to substitute its own decisions for those of the mayor [4]. However, the governing body does have the power to appoint or discharge committee members by a majority vote [5]. And, importantly, the governing body must make any delegations of power to a committee [6].

  4. In practice, the mayor’s proposed membership of committees has been approved by the governing body, together with their terms of reference and delegations. This reflects the convention that the establishment of committees results from a cooperative engagement between the mayor and the governing body.

  5. The mayor is a member of each governing body committee [7].

  6. The mayor may (in consultation with and acting through the chief executive) establish and maintain an appropriately staffed Office of the Mayor. This office receives a budget of no less than 0.2% of the council’s total operating expenditure (set in the Annual Plan) [8]. The mayor may use these resources to fulfil the mayoral role.

 

 

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