Newcastle councillors have agreed to review the city's policy and establish regular public briefing sessions, but stopped short of ending private workshops.
The move followed a push by the Greens for more council business to be discussed in public.
Councillors voted to review the policy governing public briefings and workshops, seek staff advice on any changes needed, and introduce a regular public briefing process from August.
Greens councillor Siobhan Isherwood said until December last year, City of Newcastle "regularly" held monthly closed councillor workshops.
"I'm simply asking for those discussions to happen in a public forum ... it might be uncomfortable to ask 'dumb' questions or show ignorance in a public forum, but I believe that discomfort is worth working through, and that the openness we will gain is well worth it," Cr Isherwood said.
She said transparency had been an issue raised at two local government elections and the Davidson review, an independent probe of City of Newcastle's processes, procedures and performance.
"I'll acknowledge that the community have repeatedly asked for increased transparency, and this is one excellent way we can deliver on that," she said.
"It's past time to come out of the shadows and discuss council business in a public forum."
The content of public briefing sessions will be determined by chief executive Jeremy Bath, a council resolution or an email supported by a majority of councillors.
Matters that may be considered include budgeting and financial reporting, significant issues for public consultation, and changes to strategic planning documents and policies.
The monthly financial report will now be presented at public briefings from August.
Liberal councillor Callum Pull criticised the move, arguing Cr Isherwood's speech was "a lot stronger than the motion itself".
"I hear about how you want as many of these briefings as possible brought out into the open, but the actual motion itself just talks about reviewing the public voice and briefings policy ... we already have regular public briefing meetings scheduled each month as needed," he said.
"So I have no issue with encouraging staff to utilise that forum more often."
Labor councillor Declan Clausen said he welcomed having more public briefings, but said councillor workshops still hold value.
"In my view, a public briefing is generally most useful when a proposal has been substantially developed," he said.
"Whereas a workshop serves a different purpose, it allows councillors to receive professional development, for us to ask questions, understand technical issues, explore options and engage early in the development of a proposal before a recommendation has been considered or formed."
An amended motion brought by Cr Clausen was unanimously supported.
Last year, Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig introduced changes to the ways councils do business designed to increase the 'dignity of the chamber' and improve trust and transparency across NSW councils.
Under the changes, private councillor briefing sessions were banned and councils were required to give reasons for decisions on planning matters that depart from staff recommendations.
Information considered at closed meetings was to be made public once it ceased to be confidential and general managers were no longer required to prepare reports on councillor notices of motions in an effort to depoliticise the role. The code also restricted councillors from attending meetings remotely.
In May, the NSW Legislative Council voted to disallow the controversial new code of meeting practice following criticism that the regulations were too heavy-handed.
As a result, all 128 councils were directed to revert to previous frameworks.
