20. Admission of public to meetings

  1. Meetings of a municipal council and those of its committees are open to the public, including the media, and the council or such committee may not exclude the public, including the media, from a meeting, except when-
    1. it is reasonable to do so having regard to the nature of the business being transacted; and
    2. a by-law or a resolution of the council specifying the circumstances in which the council or such committee may close a meeting and which complies with paragraph (a), authorises the council or such committee to close the meeting to the public.
  2. A municipal council, or a committee of the council, may not exclude the public including the media, when considering or voting on any of the following matters:
    1. A draft by-law tabled in the council;
    2. a budget tabled in the council;
    3. the municipality's draft integrated development plan, or any amendment of the plan, tabled in the council;
    4. the municipality's draft performance management system, or any amendment of the system, tabled in the council;
    5. the decision to enter into a service delivery agreement referred to in section 76(b); or
    6. any other matter prescribed by regulation.
  3. An executive committee mentioned in section 42 of the Municipal Structures Act and a mayoral committee mentioned in section 60 of that Act may, subject to subsection (1)(a), close any or all of its meetings to the public, including the media.
  4. A municipal council-
    1. within the financial and administrative capacity of the municipality, must provide space for the public in the chambers and places where the council and its committees meet: and
    2. may take reasonable steps to regulate public access to, and public conduct at meetings of the council and its committees.