This Q&A about access to meeting minutes in WA has been answered by Jordan Dinga, Abode Strata.
Question: Is the Strata Manager required to put the Minutes from Council of Owners Meetings on the Portal for Owners to access?
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Answer: There is no explicit mention that a Strata Manager is required to upload council minutes to a portal for owners to access.
Under the Strata Titles Act of WA there is no explicit mention that a Strata Manager is required to upload council minutes to a portal for owners to access.
The requirement and bare minimum is that upon application made in writing to a strata company by a proprietor or mortgagee of a lot, the strata company should make available for inspection the minutes of general meetings of the strata company and meetings of the council; at such time and place as may be agreed upon by the applicant or his agent and the strata company and, failing agreement, at the parcel at a time and on a date fixed by the strata company under subsection.
That being said, some strata councils may instruct a strata manager to upload those minutes to the portal and have them readily available. This may be seen as best practice for transparency purposes, however, some strata councils may feel differently.
This post appears in Strata News #352.
Have a question about access to meeting minutes in WA or something to add to the article? Leave a comment below.
Jordan Dinga
Abode Strata
P: 08 9368 2221
E: [email protected]
Please note this advice was provided prior to the proclamation of the new strata title amendments and will be updated in due course.
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There are sure to be some reasonable situations when a Council of Owners might not want to generally publicise the Minutes to their meetings.
> Potential to breach privacy issues where an owner may have submitted personal and financial information might be best deferred.
> If legal action is being ‘leaked’ by an owner to a third party it may be preferable to know if that owner is accessing the information.
Generally, however, there is no requirement to release Minutes that have not yet been confirmed and most errors or ill-considered statements can be amended at the next meeting if necessary. Just needs a little more information, guidance, and practice.
Very disappointing article to read, it’s not encouraging transparency and explains even more why there are so many problems in strata living. The only reason strata manager or the council would not make available for easy access on portal is because they have something to hide and don’t want to be transparent to all owners. Strata managers know most owners simply don’t go in to inspect the records in the office or are unable too and they would tell this to the Council of owners. This article is encouraging corruption and dishonesty in strata and defeats the purpose of having a Portal.
Hi Barry,
Unfortunately I did not write the Strata Titles Act. The simple fact I am answering these questions and broadcasting my name seems to suggest otherwise regarding my advocacy for transparency. It does defeat the purpose of having a portal and I never said otherwise. Please do not take this question out of the context it was given. Had the question been do YOU suggest the council provide the minutes to all owners my answer would be completely different.
Hi Jorden,
Can you please give me one good reason why the Strata Manager or the Council Of Owners would not circulate the minutes of their meeting to the residents.
On this page there is a comment, (Sharing is caring!)
Hi Joseph,
Completely agree sharing is caring and I am all for transparency. However, it is not up to the Strata Manager to give a good reason or make any decision on the circulation of council meeting minutes. It is completely up to the Strata Council. So, you would have to ask them for their good reason! I could think of many but would not want to share on a public forum. Probably for the some of the same reasons. Put simply in my opinion if you want the council minutes, request it and you can get them. Alternatively get on the council!