Local Government News

Victorian Council Elections

Click here to see the results of the Victorian Council elections.

 Rate Capping in Victoria

In 2016/17, ten Councils applied to the Victorian Essential Services Commission for a rate rise higher than the cap of 2.5 percent imposed by the Government. The results of these applications are as follows:

Applications disallowed:

• Ballarat City
• Wyndham City
• Casey City

Applications allowed:

• Buloke Shire 3.05%
• Horsham Rural City 3.5%
• Moorabool Shire 3.5%
• Murrindindi Shire 4.3%
• Pyrenees Shire 3.8%
• Towong Shire 6.34%

Details on each Council’s application can be found here.

Blueprint for Geelong’s Future

The City of Greater Geelong Council was dismissed by the Victorian State Government on 12th April 2016 following the release of a Commission of Inquiry Report into the Council. The report contains very good insights into how modern large city Councils should govern and plan for the future. The Commissioners were highly critical of the culture of bullying and poor performance that has existed at the Council for many years, and provided graphic detail of the unacceptable behaviour of the Mayor and some of the Councillors and managers. The new Chief Executive Officer, Kelvin Spiller, was praised by the Commissioners for making significant inroads into the organisation’s cultural problems since being appointed in November 2015.

Miller Consult believes that the Report should be mandatory reading for all local government leaders and aspiring leaders. The Appendices contain a “Framework for Good Governance” and an “Illustrative Outcomes and Performance Measures Framework” that some leaders will find useful in their own organisations.

One of the most interesting observations made by the Government-appointed Commissioners is that a four-year Strategic Plan based on an electoral timeframe, whilst mandatory, is not sufficient for a municipality the size of Geelong. The Commissioners argue that an evidence-based, long-term vision and plan is critical to drive improved asset planning, investment and service delivery for the city.

“Council does not have a long term strategy for Greater Geelong. The City Plan is essentially a four year corporate plan driven by the four year municipal electoral cycle and the budget process. It complies with statutory requirements but essentially does not meet the City’s needs and the Commission considers is a major failing of City governance.” 

Government-appointed Administrator, Mr Yehudi Blacher, has been appointed by the Minister for Local Government on an interim basis to replace the previously elected Mayor and Councillors of the City. It is expected that a Panel of Administrators will soon be appointed for a period of 12 months after which fresh elections will be held.

Contact us if you would like to discuss how Miller Consult can help your Council to strategically prepare for the challenges ahead in the long-term.