Who goes to Council meetings?

I'm sure most of you have never attended a meeting and for those who have it may have been to help your development application get approval or to represent against something your neighbour had in mind. However, rarely is there much of an audience at the Council meetings and it seems odd when the gallery is full. It should be the other way around with more people taking an interest just to say what we do and the standard of debate. I can remember one Councillor running for re-election who talked about how much they had achieved in their time on Council, and yet in the two years I spent on Council with them they have never spoken for  or against a single motion!
This week the gallery was full, why?
There were motions to be debated that were of particular interest to particular groups, in particular those who would be most affected by culverts in their streets and the redevelopment of Unley Oval. Others attended to speak to their petitions or deputations.   Additional to this there was a small group of students who attended as part of there girls scouts certificate. They showed a great deal of interest and had plenty of questions when they were ready to leave. So why not come? The next meeting is the 11th March and then the 24th March.