But that is what has been happening in 2024 and, in an interview this week, Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher described the delays, including late minutes, as "ridiculous".
"Having them four months late is far from good practice."
It was one aspect of the district council’s administration Mr Kircher hoped would be rejuvenated when they embarked on the "transformation" programme.
Elected members not being able to scrutinise and ratify previous meeting minutes in a timely way, and not having time to adequately digest agendas and reports ahead of meetings had been "a symptom" of shortcomings the council wanted "to sort out through transformation," Mr Kircher said.
For the September 24 council meeting, councillors were presented with minutes from May 28, June 25, and July 30.
Cr Jim Hopkins made a point of order that day:
"This is an agenda totally disproportionate to the amount of time allocated to it."
He also expressed misgivings at the late tabling of the draft 2023-24 annual report.
The "important legal document" had only been presented the night before the meeting and was "late", Cr Hopkins said.
Chief executive Alex Parmley said the council needed to be responsive "to things that happen", as reflected in the agenda.
"There is business to be done. We’re already under pressure as an organisation," Mr Parmley said.
Mr Kircher said he "appreciated the frustration" expressed by Cr Hopkins and they would try to use the meeting time efficiently.
"I will not deny your point of order," he said on the day.
The Performance, Risk and Assurance Committee subsequently declined to table the draft annual report.
Independent chairman Simon Neale said he had only received the 144-page draft document at 5pm the previous day.
"I don’t feel in any position to accept anything," he said.
A week later the Otago Daily Times contacted the council after it found the draft annual report had not actually appeared on the council website.
It took the council nearly six hours to release the draft report, after it was reminded of its statutory obligations.
This week Mr Kircher said late agendas and the council being asked to ratify minutes months late was not new.
It was "ridiculous" and something the council hoped to overcome through its transformation programme.
"I’m certainly hoping to see a lot more efficiency in how things are done — ideally minutes should be to me in two or three days."
Having them four months late was not good.
"That is something we are trying to work through. Having reports come in late, as Simon Neale said, we just didn’t have time — and we want to make good decisions.
"That’s the outcome the governance team wants to have, that we feel really supported, and have information at the right time."
Equally, it was "for the public, not to mention the fourth estate" to be able to raise issues with council about its on-the-record business as it happened, Mr Kircher said.
