Mayor / Deputy Mayor

Role of the Mayor

The mayor is the leader of the council and has a number of roles which are both legislative and functional. The legislative requirements are outlined in Section 73 of the Local Government Act 1989. 

The Act states that the mayor not only takes precedence at all municipal proceedings within the municipality but must also take the chair at all meetings of the council at which he or she is present.

The mayor’s role, however, extends well beyond officiating at council meetings or other municipal proceedings. Additional important roles are providing leadership, promoting positive relationships, and modelling good governance.

Apart from the roles stated in the legislation, the mayor is usually the council spokesperson and has a significant ceremonial role at particular events, including citizenship ceremonies.

The mayor is also an important community leader and is often the spokesperson for the community on economic issues (such as commenting on the impact of jobs lost or gained in the municipality) or when the community is put under stress (such as disaster management and socio-economic issues).

Effective chairing also ensures that all councilors have the opportunity to be heard. While not every councilor can get his or her way on an issue, they are more likely to accept a decision if they feel that they have been included in the process.

If the mayor takes sides in a council meeting and actively suppresses minority views, this will give dissenters the ammunition not only to attack the outcome, but also the process. The mayor should ensure that all councilors have had the opportunity to express their views, even if their proposals are defeated.