Governance
Who decides what
Roles and decision rights for correspondence, papers and registers, the delegations the gate enforces, and the guardrails that stop agents.
Roles
| Role | Kind | Responsibilities | Decision rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUDITOR Internal audit | INTERNAL | Verifies the evidence chain and tests decisions against delegations. | No decisions. Unrestricted read of the chain. |
| CABINET_SECRETARY Cabinet secretary | INTERNAL | Runs cabinet papers and records cabinet decisions. | Records cabinet decisions; keeps cabinet-in-confidence. |
| CHIEF_OF_STAFF Chief of staff | INTERNAL | The minister's delegate for correspondence. | Signs ministerial replies under delegation. |
| CORRESPONDENCE_OFFICER Correspondence officer | INTERNAL | Works the drafts the agent prepares; records what was sent. | Sends community replies; no ministerial or council sign-off. |
| CORRESPONDENT Correspondent | EXTERNAL | Writes to the minister or the council. | None. |
| COUNCILLOR Councillor | INTERNAL | Elected member of the council. | Votes on resolutions; declares interests. |
| GENERAL_MANAGER General manager | INTERNAL | Accountable officer; signs council correspondence under delegation. | Signs council replies; confirms actions. |
| GOVERNANCE_OFFICER Governance officer | INTERNAL | Runs meetings, papers, minutes and the registers. | Issues papers; drafts minutes; maintains registers. No resolutions. |
| MAYOR Mayor | INTERNAL | Chairs council; signs council correspondence. | Chairs; records resolutions; signs council replies. |
| MINISTER Minister | EXTERNAL | Decision maker where the guidelines reserve the decision; must record reasons and report any decision contrary to the recommendation. | Awards under ministerial rounds, with reasons recorded and reported. |
Delegations
| Role | Decision | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MINISTER | ministerial signoff | Sign a ministerial reply or a question on notice answer. |
| CHIEF_OF_STAFF | ministerial signoff | Sign a ministerial reply under the minister's delegation. |
| MAYOR | council signoff | Sign council correspondence. |
| GENERAL_MANAGER | council signoff | Sign council correspondence under delegation. |
| MAYOR | resolution | Record a resolution of the council as chair. |
| MINISTER | resolution | Record a ministerial decision. |
| CABINET_SECRETARY | resolution | Record a cabinet decision. |
| MAYOR | minutes confirmation | Confirm the minutes of a meeting. |
Guardrails
GL-MC-01 Every resolution and ministerial decision is the elected authority's
The papers agent assembles and recommends; councillors, the mayor, cabinet or the minister decide, and the decision is recorded against the person who made it.
GL-MC-02 Ministerial replies are signed by the minister or delegate
The correspondence agent drafts with the history and policy attached; the minister or the chief of staff signs; nothing goes out under a minister's name without that.
GL-MC-03 Every reply carries what it rests on
The history from every service and the policy position the reply relies on are attached to the draft and on the record.
GL-MC-04 Deadlines visible and chased
Every item carries its standard and due date; the agent chases before the date passes, not after.
GL-MC-05 Papers from the owning services, on time
Briefs and council papers are assembled from the services that hold the record, every figure sourced, and issued at least three business days before the meeting.
GL-MC-06 Interests checked against every item
Before the papers issue, every agenda item is checked against the interests register; a member with a pecuniary interest is flagged and cannot be recorded as voting on it.
GL-MC-07 The decisions register is public and current
Every resolution and decision goes on the register with its actions, owners and due dates; actions are tracked to done.
GL-MC-08 Cabinet-in-confidence stays so
Sensitivity travels with the brief; confidential and cabinet-in-confidence papers never appear on public pages.
GL-MC-09 Minutes from the record, confirmed by the chair
Minutes are drafted from the recorded attendance, declarations, resolutions and votes; the chair confirms them.