Councils

Tracking the length of Manningham meetings


October 6, 2024

This list tracks the length of Manningham Council meetings over the the first 3 years of the 2008-12 council term. It was decisive in allowing public questions to be moved to start of the meetings.

September 28, 2010: 22 items on the agenda and finished at 10.49pm. The 3 hours and 41 minute meeting included long debates on the Ruffey Lake tea rooms. See edited audio highlights.

August 31, 2010:
22 items on the agenda and finished at 11.27pm. The 4 hours and 27 minute meeting included long debates on the Ruffey Lake tea rooms and the Coptic Church development proposal. See edited audio highlights.

July 27, 2010: 21 items on the agenda and finished at 11.15pm. The 4 hours and 15 minute meeting included a long debate on councillor expenses which finished with no individual councillor disclosures. See edited audio highlights.

June 29, 2010: 35 items on the agenda and finished at 11.59pm. The 5 hour meeting included a very long debate on Graeme MacMillan's proposal for a separate Finance & Governance Committee. See edited audio highlights.

May 25, 2010: 12 items on the agenda and finished at 10.45pm. The 3 hour and 45 minute meeting included long debates over dog litter bins and the multi-cultural policy and a spiteful councillor questions session at the end. See edited audio highlights.

April 27, 2010: 14 items on the agenda and finished at 9.31pm. A relatively short 2 hour and 31 minute meeting with the Warrandyte phone tower and the annual budget taking up the most time. See edited audio highlights.

March 30, 2010:
13 items on the agenda and finished at 11.57pm. The 5 hour meeting was dominated by a spiteful 3 hours of debate after the Planning Minister intervened to allow the nursing home in the green wedge chaired by deputy mayor Fred Chuah to be tripled in size. See edited audio highlights.

February 23, 2010: 15 items on the agenda and finished at 9.10pm. A relatively short 2 hour and 10 minute meeting which was dominated by debate over the deputy mayor's nursing home expansion. See edited audio highlights.

February 2, 2010: 15 items on the agenda and finished at 11.20pm. The 4 hour and 20 minute meeting was dominated by disputes over the deputy mayor's nursing home, the potential sale of vacant and a unit development was supported by the officers but rolled 5-4. See edited audio highlights.

Average so far in first nine meetings of 2010: 11.08pm finish so 4 hours and 8 minutes.

2009

December 15, 2009: 18 items on the agenda and finished at 11pm. The 4 hour meeting was dominated by a proposed hostile audit of council's own nursing home plus the rejection of a new nursing home proposed for Park Orchards. See edited audio highlights.

November 24, 2009: 16 items on the agenda and finished at 9.41pm. A relatively benign 2 hour and 41 minute meeting covering a range of topics but no contentious outcomes. See edited audio highlights.

October 27, 2009: 17 items on the agenda and finished at 9.15pm. The only contentious item saw a David Ellis motion about logging in catchments get defeated 5-4. See edited audio highlights.

September 29, 2009: 18 items on the agenda and finished at 11.50pm. The 4 hour and 50 minute meeting was our first blockbuster. Lengthy debate unfolded over a defeated Wonga Park sub-division, a raffle, logging in catchments, the Matthews property and Brindy Crescent . See edited audio highlights.

August 25, 2009: 7 items on the agenda and finished at 9.32pm. The 2 hour and 32 minute meeting had a short agenda but lengthy debates on exit from family day care and a second study into a tram. See edited audio highlights.

August 11, 2009: 21 items on the agenda and finished at 9.45pm. The 2 hour and 45 minute meeting included a lengthy debate over a 10-storey tower on Doncaster Hill. See edited audio highlights.

June 30, 2009: 21 items on the agenda and finished at 9.55pm. The 2 hour and 55 minute meeting included lengthy criticism of Westfield's over the top apartment proposal in Grosvenor Street. See edited audio highlights.

June 2, 2009: 16 items on the agenda and finished at 9.21pm. The two hour and 21 minute meeting included a lengthy debate over the future of Eastern Gold Club. See edited audio highlights.

April 28, 2009: 13 items on the agenda and finished at 8.54pm. The 1 hour and 54 minute meeting included a lively debate on the 3.7% rate rise and the decision to permanently fly the Aboriginal flag. See edited audio highlights.

March 31, 2009: 15 items on the agenda and finished at 10.31pm after 2 hours and 31 minutes of debate.

February 24, 2009: 20 items on the agenda and finished at 9.32pm after 2 hours and 32 minutes of debate.

January 27, 2009: 12 items on the agenda and finished at 8.11pm after 1 hour and 11 minutes of debate.

Average of 12 meetings in 2009: 9.57pm or 2 hours and 57 minutes.

December 15, 2008: 4 items on the agenda and finished at 7.27pm after just 27 minutes of debate.

October 21, 2008: 30 items on the agenda and finished at 10.25pm after 3 hours and 25 minutes of debate.

September 30, 2008: 15 items on the agenda and finished at 9.44pm after 2 hours and 44 minutes of debate.

August 21, 2008: 18 items on the agenda and finished at 9.44pm after 2 hour and 44 minutes of debate.

July 29, 2008: 33 items on the agenda and finished at 10.41pm after 3 hour and 41 minutes of debate.

June 24, 2008: 21 items on the agenda and finished at 9.07pm after 2 hour and 7 minutes of debate.

June 3, 2008: 23 items on the agenda and finished at 9.28pm after 2 hours and 28 minutes of debate.

April 29, 2008: 32 items on the agenda and finished at 9.41pm after 2 hours and 41 minutes of debate.

April 1, 2008: 10 items on the agenda and finished at 8.20pm after 1 hour and 20 minutes of debate.

February 26, 2008: 18 items on the agenda and finished at 9.27pm after 2 hours and 27 minutes of debate.

January 29, 2008: 13 items on the agenda and finished at 8.31pm after 1 hour and 31 minutes of debate.

Average for 10 meetings held under previous council in 2008: 9.31pm or 2 hours and 31 minutes.