Governance & Transparency

Freedom of Information

The Western Australian Freedom of Information Act 1992 is designed to enable the public to participate more effectively in governing the State, and to make the persons and bodies that are responsible for State and local government more accountable to the public.

Under Part 5 of the Freedom of Information Act 1992, the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes is required to prepare and publish an annual Information Statement. This document has been created to comply with that requirement, and is correct as at June 2024. A copy of the Statement is available below.

Freedom of Information Policy Statement 2024 Freedom of Information Application Form

Codes of Conduct

Council Policies

Click here to view the Policy Manual

Council Guidelines

Click here to view Council Guidelines

Local Laws

Elected Members Training Report

Annual Report of Training Conducted by Elected Members of the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes

Pursuant to Section 5.127 of the Local Government Act 1995:

(1) A local government must prepare a report for each financial year on the training completed by council members in the financial year.

(2) The CEO must publish the report on the local government's official website within 1 month after the end of the financial year to which the report relates.

Electoral Gifts Register

The Local Government Act and Elections Regulations require that gifts made to a candidate for election to Council must be declared.

The Regulations stipulate that –

BOTH candidate and donor must declare the gift

the requirements is on all candidates, regardless of whether or not they are a current councillor
gifts from an unidentified source are not permitted
gifts of more than $200 must be declared

includes the promise of a gift before it is actually received
gift is not only financial but includes an item or service
the value of a “heavy discount” is considered to be gift
if the total value of gifts from one source exceeds $200, all gifts received must be declared

exceptions – disclosure is not required if it is:

from a relative as defined by the Local Government Act
left to you in a will
unrelated to the election
volunteer labour

the disclosure period starts 6 months prior to the election and finishes 3 days afterwards;
disclosure of gifts received or promised for an election must be advised in writing to the CEO:

within 3 business days of nomination –
after nomination, within 3 days of receipt or promise of the gift

the Regulations list the mandatory information that is to be notified to the CEO:

the CEO is to record the details in an Electoral Gifts Register
the Electoral Gifts Register is open to public inspection, but does not have to be placed on the website

Penalties of up to $5,000 apply to some offences.

In effect, if you are interested in nominating as a candidate for the next election, you need to be recording any gifts received for election purposes, as stipulated above. If you decide not to continue, no disclosure is required. If you do decide to continue, these early gifts must be disclosed within 3 days of nomination.

Electoral Gift Register

The CEO is required to establish and maintain an Electoral Gift Register.

2024 - Electoral Gift Register

Electoral Gift Register

Fees & Allowances Paid to Elected Members

Local Government Act 1995 s 5.96A. Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996. r 29C(f). This register is updated to the Shire Website no later than 14 July of each Financial Year, pursuant to Local Government Act 1995, S5.96A and Reg 29C(2)(f)&(5) of the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996.

2023-24 Annual Register of Fees and Allowances Paid to Elected Members

2022-23 Annual Register of Fees and Allowances Paid to Elected Members

Fees & Allowances Paid to Elected Members Register

Register of Reportable Gifts

Under the Local Government Act 1995 (City of Perth Bill 2015 amendment):

A relevant person who accepts a gift which is worth greater than $200 must disclose acceptance of the gift within ten days of receipt to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), rather than in an annual return.

2024 - Reportable Gifts Register

Reportable Gifts Register

2024 - Register of Interests

Primary & Annual Returns

The Local Government Act 1995 sets out requirements for Councillors, CEOs and other employees to ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making. Councillors and employees are required to make decisions in the best interests of the community and free from bias or conflicts of interest. In accordance with the Act local governments are required to publish a list of councillors and employees (by position) that lodged a primary return and annual return for each financial year, commencing after 1 July 2020.

A primary return is a snapshot of personal financial information as it exists upon the relevant person's start date and must be lodged within three months of the start date. An annual return retrospectively discloses any changes to the information previously disclosed in the primary return or new interests accumulated for the period since completing the primary return or last annual return and must be lodged no later than 31 August in any year.

2023/2024

2022/2023

Purchase Order Terms and Conditions

Purchase Order Terms & Conditions

Complaints against Councillors

In accordance with the Local Government Act 1995, The Chief Executive Officer keeps a register of complaints made against Councillors under the category of “official conduct”. The register is available for the public to view.

2024 - Register of Complaints

Councillor Conduct Complaints Register

Complaint About Alleged Breach form

Public Interest Disclosure

What is a public interest disclosure?

A public interest disclosure (PID) is a formal complaint anyone can make if they believe something is wrong with the way a public authority, public officer or public sector contractor is acting, or may be going to act, which is of public interest.

This could involve:

Improper conduct
Administration matters
Irregular or unauthorised use of public resources
An offence under State Laws (including corruption)
Substantial mismanagement of public resources
Conduct that involves a substantial and specific risk of injury, prejudice to public safety or harm to the environment.

Conditions of a public interest disclosure

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 (the Act) outlines what should be disclosed, who it must be disclosed to, and also provides for the protection of people who make a PID, as well as those who may be subject of a PID.

A PID must always be related to a public sector, local government or public university function. It does not apply to information that someone has, or is, engaging in criminal behaviour unconnected to their employment.

The Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes recommends you review the guidelines below and seek advice before making a PID.

Public Interest Disclosure Administration Policy

Don’t be afraid to speak up

Make a public interest disclosure

To make a PID please contact the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes or the Public Sector Commission through one of the methods below.

Note, the Public Sector Commission provides information for people thinking of making a disclosure and to assist public authorities in complying with their obligations under the Act.

Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes

In person:

Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes
1 Steere Street
BRIDGETOWN
Phone: (08) 9761 0800

In Writing:

Executive Manager or Corporate Services
PO Box 271
BRIDGETOWN WA 6255

Email: btnshire@bridgetown.wa.gov.au

Public Sector Commission

In person:

Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH WA 6005

By post:

Locked Bag 3002
WEST PERTH WA 6872

Phone: (08) 6552 8500
Email: admin@psc.wa.gov.au
Website: www.publicsector.wa.gov.au

Delegation Register

Section 5.42 of the Local Government Act 1995 (the Act) allows for a local government to delegate to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the exercise of any of its powers or the discharge of any of its duties under the Act (other than those under s5.43). The local government may also delegate the exercise of any of its powers to Committees pursuant to section 5.16, other than those under Section 5.17(1).

Section 5.44 of the Act provides for the CEO to delegate any of his or her powers to another employee, this must be done in writing. The Act also allows for the CEO to place conditions on any delegations that he or she has delegated. These powers or duties cannot, however, be further sub-delegated. These powers or duties are delegated to assist with improving the time taken to make decisions and are made within the constraints allowed by the relevant legislation. This is consistent with our commitment to a strong customer service focus.

The Department of Local Government & Communities Guideline No.17 – Delegations, establishes the principal issue in determining whether a statutory function or duty is suitable for ‘acting through’ that being - where the statute provides no discretion in carrying out a function or duty, then the function or duty may be undertaken through the ‘acting through’ concept.

Conversely, where the statute allows for discretion on the part of the decision maker, then the function must either be delegated or a person authorised, or a policy implemented, that provides sufficient control for another person to have that authority and fulfil the function or duty.

The purpose of this register is to ensure a record is kept of those powers or duties that have been delegated to ensure accountability and to meet the requirements of Section 5.46 of the Act. This register is a public document that contains ‘Instruments of Delegation’ that detail the function being delegated and the relevant statutory reference which is the source of power for the exercise of that function.

Without limiting the effect of sections 58 and 59 of the Interpretation Act 1984, these delegations, made under the Act have effect for the period of time specified in the delegation or where no period has been specified, indefinitely. Any decision to amend or revoke these delegations by a local government is to be by an absolute majority.

This register of delegated authority will be reviewed in accordance with the Act on an annual basis.

2024 Delegations Register