Our Scheme

The Community Government Scheme explains how the Council runs. This includes the area of governance, how elections are held and the role of elected members within the council and the functions and powers of the council.

The following is a link to the Northern Territory Legislation Database where the most up to date Elliot District Community Government Scheme can be downloaded as a PDF of RTF document.

Click here or read on for an overview of the Scheme.

The Elliott District Community Government Scheme came into force on 30 May 2002. This scheme repeals and replaces the Elliott District Community Government Scheme approved on 19 April 1988 by the Minister for Labour, Administrative Services and Local Government.

Community Government Area

The Elliott community is located 250 kilometres north of Tennant Creek and 420 kilometres south of Katherine. The area is administered by the Elliott District Community Government Council.

Members of Council

The council consists of 7 members, including a President, who are declared or elected in accordance with this scheme. To view the current Membership of the Council, select the following link. Elected Members

The term of office of a member expires on the declaration of the results of the next general election.

The office of a member becomes vacant if the member ceases to be an elector, is no longer living in the community government area or becomes an employee or officer of the council.

Vice-President

The council has a Vice-President, who is chosen by the members at the council's first meeting after a general election and whenever else may be necessary.

The Vice-President may resign from office at any time by giving written notice to the clerk.

The Vice-President must act as President during a vacancy in that office and must perform the functions, exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the President when he is absent from the community government area, absent from a meeting of the council or unable to perform the functions of office.

Meetings of Council

The council must hold a meeting at least once a month. The date, time and place of a council meeting is decided either at a previous meeting, by the clerk or by the Minister for Local Government.

The President may call a special meeting of the council by giving at least 2 days notice to the other members.

A minimum of 3 members or 6 electors, may seek a special meeting of the council, in writing and stating the reasons for the request. The President must then call the meeting no later than 7 days after the request is received and notify members accordingly.

When a special meeting is to be held, the clerk must display a written notice of the meeting in a place that he considers likely to be frequented by residents.

Where a member is absent from 3 consecutive meetings of the council, without the prior consent of the council or for reasons that the council does not accept as satisfactory, the council may declare that he is no longer a member and his office becomes vacant.

Meetings to be Open

Meetings of the council are open to the public, unless the council determines that a meeting, or part of a meeting, is to be closed.

Procedure at Meetings of Council

Meetings of the council are presided over by the President, or in his absence, the Vice-President. If both of them are absent, a member chosen by the other members will Chair the meeting.

The council determines its own procedure at meetings subject to any standing orders it may make from time to time.

The council keeps a record of its proceedings. To view the current Minutes of Council meetings select the following link.

The quorum for a meeting of the council is the majority of members then in office.

Matters at a council meeting are decided by a majority of the votes of the members then in office and, in the event of an equality of votes, the matter is defeated.

Functions

The council can perform the following functions:-

• the establishment, development, operation and maintenance of communication, television and radio broadcasting facilities for the community government area and for that purpose the council may enter into a contract and may act, for reward, as the agent of a provider of those facilities;

• the establishment and maintenance of parks, gardens and recreational areas and the carrying out of landscaping and other associated works;

• the establishment and maintenance of sports facilities, swimming pools, libraries, cinemas, museums, community halls, laundry facilities, public toilets and ablution blocks;

• the provision of a service for the collection and disposal of garbage, the provision and maintenance of particular places where garbage is to be dumped, and the control of litter generally;

• the provision and maintenance of sanitation facilities and the removal of health hazards;

• the provision and maintenance of sewerage, drainage and water supply facilities;

• the collection, as an agent and for reward, of water and sewerage charges;

• the supply of electricity by contracting with a government department or statutory authority responsible for providing electricity and the collection, as an agent and for reward, of electricity charges;

• the provision of adult education and of vocational and other training;

• the provision and maintenance of housing for residents and their families on the terms and conditions that the council thinks fit;

• the management of community employment programmes and the carrying out as an agent (whether or not for reward) of activities relating to the provision of social security services or other benefits;

• the promotion and provision of community welfare, health and care facilities for all age groups within the community government area and the provision of appropriately trained staff to provide counselling or temporary assistance;

• the maintenance of cemeteries;

• the control, prohibition and impounding of animals;

• the development and maintenance of roads within the community government area (including the provision of street lighting and traffic control devices) and, for reward, the development and maintenance of roads outside the community government area;

• the provision and maintenance of airstrips and related facilities;

• the hiring out, for reward, of any vehicle, plant, appli-ance or equipment belonging to the council and the repair and maintenance, for reward, of any vehicle, plant, appliance or equipment not owned by the council and the selling of goods or equipment purchased by the council for or in connection with any enterprise and found to be in excess of the council's immediate needs;

• the contracting of works projects (including the maintenance of capital works and undertakings), within or outside the community government area;

• the establishment and operation of pastoral and commercial enterprises;

• the selling of petroleum products;
  

• the establishment and maintenance of a fire-fighting service, including the acquisition of property and equipment and training of personnel for the service, and the protection of the community government area from fire;

• the promotion and development of tourist attractions and facilities within the community government area and the production of and selling of artefacts and souvenirs;

• the management and control of sites of historic interest;

• the support and encouragement of artistic, cultural and sporting activities;

• the control of public places.
  

Powers

All land within the community government area is rateable, except for the land declared not rateable under section 58 (2) of the Local Government Act , and the council may levy rates in relation to it for the purpose of raising revenue to perform its functions.

The council may declare charges to be payable by a person who either resides in the community government area, carries on a business in the area or has an interest in rateable land in the area, whether or not that person uses any service provided.

Eligibility to Vote

A person is eligible to vote at a council election if he is enrolled as an elector within the meaning of the Northern Territory Electoral Act , and has resided in the community government area for at least 1 month before the notice of Election.

Electoral Roll

The clerk must maintain an electoral roll of the full names and addresses of persons who are eligible to vote at elections.

A resident may inspect the electoral roll at the office of the council when the office is open.

A person who is otherwise eligible but is not enrolled may apply for enrolment in such manner as the clerk approves.

The clerk shall close the electoral roll at 12 noon on the day occurring 21 days before election day.

Election Notice

The clerk must give at least 28 days notice that an election is to be held. An election notice must be prominently displayed at locations in the community government area that are likely to be frequented by all residents.

Nominations

A person is eligible for nomination as a member of the council if he or she is enrolled as an elector, has resided in the community government area for at least 6 months before the closure of the roll and is not an employee or officer of the council.

By lodging a written nomination with the clerk, a person who is enrolled as an elector may nominate a candidate for election to the council.

The clerk will not accept a nomination unless he is satisfied that the proposed candidate is identified, eligible to be nominated, has consented to the nomination and he is supplied with a recent photograph of the proposed candidate which is suitable for display.

A candidate may withdraw his consent to his nomination at any time before the close of nominations.

Nominations of candidates for election close at 12 noon on the day, occurring 14 days before election day.

After nominations have closed, the clerk must display a list of the names of the candidates, together with their photographs.

Declaration or Election of President

If there is only one candidate nominated for election as President, the clerk must declare that candidate to be President of the council.

If the person who is declared to be President is also nominated as an ordinary member of council, the nomination as an ordinary member lapses.

If at the close of nominations, there is more than one candidate nominated for election as President, an election to decide between the candidates is to be held on election day.

Declaration or Election of Ordinary Members

Where at the close of nominations, not more than 6 candidates have been nominated as ordinary members and none of them are nominated for President, the clerk will declare the candidates to be ordinary members of the council.

If, at the close of nominations, not more than 6 candidates have been nominated as ordinary members, an election for President is to be held and at least one of the candidates nominated for election as ordinary members is also nominated for election as President, the clerk must, after the President?s election, declare the candidates (excluding the candidate for President) to be ordinary members of the council.

If, at the close of nominations, there are more than 6 candidates nominated for election as ordinary members of the council, an election to decide between them is to be held on election day.

Postal Voting

A person whose name appears on an electoral roll who is ill, infirm or for religious reasons unable to attend a polling place, will be absent from the community government area during the hours when the polling places will be open or will be unable to attend a polling place on election day, may apply in person or in writing to the clerk for a postal ballot-paper.

Declaration of Result

The clerk must, as soon as practicable after the votes have been counted, declare the result of the election by a notice displayed at the same locations as the election notice.