Council is made up of 12 Elected Members, one of whom is the Mayor, and all are elected by eligible voters. In accordance with the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999, elections are held every four years, with the last election held in 2018.
As detailed in the Local Government Act 1999, the function of Council includes:
- to plan at the local and regional level for the development and future requirements of its area;
- to provide services and facilities that benefit its area, its ratepayers and residents, and visitors to its area (including general public services or facilities (including water services, and waste collection, control or disposal services or facilities) community services or facilities, and cultural or recreational services or facilities);
- to provide for the welfare, well-being and interests of individuals and groups within its community;
- to take measures to protect its area from natural and other hazards and to mitigate the effects of such hazards;
- to manage, develop, protect, restore, enhance and conserve the environment in an ecologically sustainable manner, and to improve amenity;
- to provide infrastructure for its community and for development within its area (including infrastructure that helps to protect any part of the local or broader community from any hazard or other event, or that assists in the management of any area);
- to promote its area and to provide an attractive climate and locations for the development of business, commerce, industry and tourism;
- to establish or support organisations or programs that benefit people in its area or local government generally;
- to manage and, if appropriate, develop, public areas vested in, or occupied by, the council;
- to manage, improve and develop resources available to the council.