Council encourages members of the community of the City to participate in the decision making process of the Council and provides the following procedures which in part relate to the requirements stipulated in the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended).

Public participation is permitted for business before the Council when in Review Committee, and at the Committee of the Whole Council for confidential items. This does not allow the public in respect to Petitions, which are "information only" item, nor individual tenderers to participate in respect to tenders.

Committee of the Whole Council

Council conducts a Confidential Session, commencing at 6.00 pm on Tuesday of Weeks 1 and 4 of each month and, if necessary, Week 2 of the month.

1. During these sessions, the Committee of the Whole Council is required to consider matters deemed confidential in accordance with Section 10A of the Local Government Act.
2. Prior to the Committee of the Whole Council considering these matters, members of the public may indicate reasons why any item listed should not be included in the Confidential Session [section 10A(4)].
3. Items to the Confidential Session of the Committee of the Whole Council meeting will not be available. However the Table of Contents for the Ordinary Council meeting will identify that an item has been submitted to the Confidential Session.
4. The report of the Confidential Session will be included in the Ordinary Minutes for that meeting.

Open Sessions of the Council Meetings

1. An Agenda Paper may be viewed on or collected from the reception counter on the ground floor of the Administration Building after 12 noon on the Thursday preceding the meeting and at all Branch Libraries after 10.00 am on the Thursday preceding the meeting.
2. All requests to address the Council must be submitted by each individual speaker to the Secretariat on the 2nd floor of the Administration Building, or by telephone on (02) 43258373 and (02) 43258336; by fax on (02) 43224398; or by Email addressed to goscity@gosford.nsw.gov.au before 12 noon on the Monday preceding the Ordinary meetings of Council, which are held at 6.45 pm on Tuesdays in Weeks 1 and 4 of each month.
3. Requests from members of the public to address Council should include reference to the item number in the Agenda, the speaker's name, address and daytime telephone number and whether for or against the recommendation. Where a speaker wishes to address Council on behalf of an organisation, authorisation advice is required from the Organisation.
4. Items where Public Participation has been requested will be referred to the Review Committee or the Committee of the Whole Council. The number of participants speaking in favour of any one item is to be balanced by the same number of speaker(s) against the proposal. Council will decide who is to speak from the list of registered requests received and unless decided otherwise, speakers for/against will be in order of registration of intention to speak.
5. Registered participants will be invited to comment during Committee consideration of the matter (except the Confidential Committee of the Whole Council, unless invited to do so by the Council, the Committee or the Mayor).
6. Council may defer items on the Agenda for inspection or further discussion. Persons who have requested to address Council on any item listed for inspection by a Councillor will be advised, on the afternoon preceding the meeting, that their names have been registered to address Council at the Reconvened Meeting held at 6.45 pm on Tuesday of Week 2.
7. Where a participant is to address a particular item, the Chairperson may invite that person, as well as any other persons present, to discuss the matter with Council.
8. Any proposed variations to the above shall be subject to a resolution of Council.
9. The Chairperson may curtail public participation where the information being presented is considered repetitive or irrelevant and may rule a participant or question out of order.