Council is hosting the second pre-election candidate information session for people who may be interested in becoming a councillor, with registrations now open. 

On Tuesday 9 April 2024, Council will host the public information session at the Wyong Administration Building, 2 Hely Street, Wyong, NSW 2259. 

Kicking off at 5.30pm for a 6pm start, the session will provide information, insights and resources for prospective candidates with presentations from guest speakers and local government experts. 

Session two will cover the following topics:

• About Central Coast Council – what has been achieved while under Administration, including Council actions in response to the recommendations of the Public Inquiry
• Information about the constitutional referendum being held on 14 September 2024
• Navigating the political context of being a councillor
• Information on planning an election campaign (budget, marketing, procedural steps etc.) and steps involved in preparing to run for election
• A day in the life of a councillor – what to expect once elected
• Legislative responsibilities and obligations of councillors and what it means to be part of the governing body
• A brief overview of Council’s leadership structure and information about how councillors can appropriately interact with Council staff. 

To register for pre-election candidate information session two, follow this link: www.eventbrite.com.

I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a councillor to attend this session. 

A third session will be held in July 2024, which is targeted towards those individuals who have decided they are going to run for election (or very seriously considering it). 

To boost diversity and increase representation of women on Council, Council is engaging the Australian Local Government Women's Association (ALGWA) to run their widely successful 'Getting Women Elected' forum for female candidates across the Central Coast. More details about this forum and upcoming candidate information sessions will be announced in due course.

Rik Hart, Administrator