Mayor and Councillors

Councillors meet together regularly, attend strategy meetings, and Council and Committee meetings on a monthly basis as well as other committee and community meetings and activities, as required. These meetings and activities are held throughout the day, evenings and on weekends. Councillors are expected to read reports, research documents and then make hundreds of decisions at scheduled Council meetings on your behalf.

Mayor

The Mayor is the leader of Swan Hill Rural City Council and as such is the leader of all Councillors. The Mayor has a key role to help all Councillors participate and work together in the interests of the Swan Hill Rural City Council’s community.

Deputy Mayor

Swan Hill Rural City Council may appoint a Deputy Mayor in order to enhance the leadership provided by the Mayor and also to ensure that Swan Hill Rural City Council can be represented by its political leadership wherever this is necessary or desirable. The Deputy Mayor also assists the Mayor to facilitate the spirit of co-operation and inclusion between elected representatives.

Councillors

Councillors have important roles to play in helping to achieve good governance. At Swan Hill Rural City Council Councillors work together to achieve the best outcomes for the community. To work together effectively Councillors strive to find ways to meet the accountability they have to the constituents and their accountability to the municipality as a whole.

The Model Code of Conduct sets out the standards of conduct expected of Councillors when carrying out their roles, responsibilities and obligations as elected representatives for their communities.

On 26 October 2024, a new prescribed Model Councillor Code of Conduct (the Code) was released to meet the requirements of section139 of the Local Government Act 2020. Schedule 1 of the Local Government (Governance and Integrity) Regulations 2020 sets out the Code.

Model Councillor Code of Conduct(PDF, 70KB)

There is a range of support for Councillors. This includes membership to organisations such as the Municipal Association of Victoria and administrative support from Council. Each Councillor is also supported financially including allowances and payment of expenses. 

Allowances for Mayor and Councillors

In accordance with the Local Government Act 2020, Councillors are eligible to receive remuneration for their duties as outlined in their role. 

Mayoral and Councillors allowances are heavily controlled in the Act including:

• The Minister for Local Government sets out the scale of allowances. Council decides what it may be paid within this scale.
• There is a separate scale for large, small and medium-sized Councils.
• A separate scale of allowances is decided for Mayors on the same basis.
• A Mayor can only receive the Mayoral allowance (not a Councillor allowance plus a Mayoral allowance).
• After an election, Council must decide and set allowances for the term of Council.

The Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal is required to make an annual adjustment to the values of the allowances payable to Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Councillors set in a Determination under the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019.

Remote area travel allowance

Council members who live more than 50 kilometres (by the shortest practical road distance) from the location of ordinary, special, or committee meetings, or any municipal or community functions authorised by a Council resolution, are entitled to an allowance for attending one or more eligible meetings or functions.

Councillor expense reimbursement

Council has a Council Expense Policy that details:

• What type of expenses will be reimbursed to Councillors
• Under what circumstances Councillors can claim reimbursement

Council Expense Policy(PDF, 349KB)

Councillors, members of Delegated Committees and Council staff are required to:

• Avoid - all situations which may give rise to conflicts of interest;
• Identify - any conflicts of interest; and
• Disclose - or declare all conflicts of interest;

Swan Hill Rural City Council Governance Rules states under section 19.4. (4) : A Councillor or member of a delegated committee who discloses a conflict of interest and leaves a Council meeting must not communicate with any participants in the meeting while the decision is being made.

Councillor conflict of interest register (Term 2020-2024)(PDF, 466KB)

In accordance with section 306 of the Local Government Act 2020, each candidate in a local government election is required to submit an election Campaign Donation Return to the Chief Executive Officer of the Council within 40 days of election day.

2024 Election Period - Candidate Election Campaign Donation Return Register(PDF, 370KB)

For more information visit the Local Government Inspectorate website.

The Local Government Act 2020 requires Councillors and Nominated Officers of Swan Hill Rural City Council to complete Personal Interest Returns.

A personal interest return must be completed within 30 days of the commencement in their role, and then biannually in March and September of each subsequent year.

The Victorian Government imposes penalties for false and incomplete information provided in any Personal Interest Return, and for failing to lodge the Personal Interest Return within the legislated timeframes.

Summary of personal interest returns (September 2024)(PDF, 413KB)