More CEO resignations and appointments, and a former councillor pleads guilty to personal interests non-disclosures.
Those developments lead this edition of the Local Government News Roundup.
Also today: Melbourne CEO Justin Hanney to return yacht race donations; a Brimbank park up for an international award; the Livingstone/Rockhampton boundary review gets more acrimonious; and another court appearance for a controversial Tasmanian councillor.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government.
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Transcript (with story links):
More CEO resignations and appointments, and a former councillor pleads guilty to personal interests non-disclosures.
Those developments lead this edition of the Local Government News Roundup.
Welcome to the bulletin for the 10th July. I’m Chris Eddy.
Also today: Melbourne CEO Justin Hanney to return yacht race donations; a Brimbank park up for an international award; the Livingstone/Rockhampton boundary review gets more acrimonious; and another court appearance for a controversial Tasmanian councillor.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government.
Martin Cutter has announced he will step down as CEO at Greater Geelong in September, after more than 4 years in the role.
In a statement, he said it was time to pursue personal pursuits and to spend more time with family after more than 18 years in local government.
Prior to joining Greater Geelong, he held Director level positions at the City of Melbourne for nearly 14 years.
Mayor Peter Murrihy said an executive search process would commence soon.
https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/news/item/8da601692fb5bf3.aspx
A former Benalla councillor has been fined and ordered to pay legal costs after pleading guilty to six charges related to personal interest return non-disclosures.
William van Wersch stood unsuccessfully for re-election in 2020 after serving a four year term on Benalla Rural City Council from 2016.
The Local Government Inspectorate brought 18 charges as a result of a state wide review of more than 4,500 personal interest returns that commenced in mid-2020.
The charges were reduced after Mr van Wersch offered a guilty plea on six rolled-up charges relating to failure to disclose a number of personal interests including companies in which he held office or a beneficial interest, as well as land interests and trust interests.
He was fined $5,000 without conviction and ordered to pay legal costs of $3,500.
Chief Municipal Inspector Michael Stefanovic said the decision sends a message to councillors across Victoria that submitting accurate person interest returns is essential.
City of Melbourne CEO Justin Hanney will return more than $35,000 received as part of a personal fundraising campaign for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 2020, which did not go ahead due to COVID-19.
The Age has reported this weekend that Mr Hanney had not declared the donations on his personal interests returns as he believed it was not related to his role as chief executive.
Mr Hanney is on leave overseas and said he intends to update the information on return from leave.
The Age, 9-7-22, p.9
Nine towns from around Victoria have been recognised at the Top Tourism Awards, announced in Healesville last week.
Gold winners in their respective categories were Bendigo, Port Fairy and Mount Macedon.
Silver awards went to Echuca, Sorrento and Timboon, while bronze awards went to Heathcote, Frankson and Noojee.
The towns were recognised for their commitment to encourage and supporting tourism, including visitor offerings and collaborations with tourism operators, local businesses and the wider community.
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/victorian-towns-shine-tourism-awards
A community park in Brimbank has made the finalist list for an inaugural international award.
Sunvale Community Park is one of eighteen international entries in the World Green City Awards celebrating projects that provide greener and healthier places to live across six categories.
Brimbank’s entry is one of three finalists in the Living Green for Health and Wellbeing category, and faces competition from the city of Fortaleza in Brazil, and Utrecht in the Netherlands.
The winners will be announced at a gala event later in the year, at a venue to be announced.
Victorian Briefs:
Former CEO of Yarriambiack Shire, Jessie Holmes, has announced her return to local government after six months as a Regional Taskforce Manager with the Victorian Skills Authority.
In a statement she said she has realised her heart belongs to local government, and she is taking up an interim Director role at Hindmarsh Shire Council.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessie-holmes-92a6a6a7_after-a-whirlwind-six-months-with-the-victorian-activity-6950925005727612928-hX7J
Kingston Mayor Steve Staikos has reportedly nominated for ALP preselection for the upcoming state election.
He is one of four including incumbent Tien Kieu reported to be vying for candidacy in the upper house seat of South Eastern Metro.
The return of former mayor Dinny Adem to Greater Shepparton has been confirmed after a countback last Wednesday. It is expected that councillor elect Adem will be sworn in this coming week.
Still to come – the Livingstone/Rockhampton boundary review gets more acrimonious; another court appearance for a controversial Tasmanian councillor; a loss for Busselton is a gain for Shellharbour; and the sudden resignation of a NZ CEO.
You’re listening to the Local Government News Roundup for 10th July 2022, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
The next VLGA/LGIU GLobal Executive panel is coming up on Thursday 28th July., on the topic of Biodiversity Planning and Green spaces.
As patterns of land use and development change, planning for the protection of biodiversity and native vegetation is crucial to local, and indeed global, habitats.
Biodiversity encompasses all components of the living world: the number and variety of plants, animals and other living things, including fungi and microorganisms, across land, rivers, coast and ocean. Biodiversity conservation is an essential component of responsible environmental and natural resource management.
An eminent panel will discuss how local governments around the world play a key role in considering biodiversity values when planning for the use and development of public and private land, waterways and marine environments.
Confirmed speakers include Dr Gillian Sparkes, the Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, and Donna Manson, Chief Executive of the Highland Council in the UK.
Registrations are now open on the VLGA website event page, and it’s free for VLGA and LGIU members. Find out more at www.vlga.org.au/events.
Now for some stories making news around Australia in local government this week:
Livingstone Shire Council in Queensland has this week called on the Queensland Government to confirm its commitment to fairness in the boundary review between Livingston and Rockhampton Regional Council.
The Local Change Commission is reviewing a proposal to transfer the northern suburbs of Glenlee, Glendale and Rockyview from Livingstone to Rockhampton.
Deputy Mayor Adam Belot presented a notice of motion at a special council meeting on Friday looking for assurances that residents would not be financially disadvantaged from any outcome of the process. The council also called for the origin and basis for the process to be confirmed, saying there was only agreement on record for the terms of reference.
The move drew strong criticism from Rockhampton Regional Council, with Mayor Tony Williams accusing Livingstone of trying to rewrite history.
He said the council should stop trying to undermine the democratic process agreed to more than four years ago.
Mayor Williams is encouraging people to get their ballots in the mail before the close of the public vote next Thursday, 14th July.
At Redland City Council, the Deputy Mayor Cr Julie Talty has stepped up as Acting Mayor following Mayor Karen Williams’s decision to take leave.
Mayor Williams has been charged with allegedly being over the legal blood alcohol limit when involved in a single vehicle accident on 23rd June.
She expected to appear in court next month.
Shellharbour City Council has appointed its next CEO, and it’s a gain for NSW and a loss for Western Australia.
Michael Archer, CEO at Busselton City for the last 12 years, has been announced as the new Shellharbour CEO, with his start date yet to be determined.
https://www.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/council/news-and-publications/media-releases/new-ceo-appointed
City of Busselton chief executive officer Mike Archer steps down
Waratah-Wynyard councillor Darren Fairbrother has made another appearance in court, pleading not guilty to a charge of land trespass.
The Burnie Advocate has reported that the case is set for hearing in September.
Cr Fairbrother reportedly refused to answer questions outside the court about his future and whether he would resign as a councillor.
Burnie Advocate, 9-7-22
Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould has this week repeated calls for the NSW Government to abandon a proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam Wall by up to 17 metres.
The Council has opposed the plan since 2018, and has campaigned with Blue Mountains Council on the issue in the past.
There are fears that raising the dam wall would not achieve the claimed flood mitigation outcomes, and that it would damage the area’s unique indigenous heritage and native species.
Mayor Gould said the raising of the wall would potentially cost over $2B, allow rural floodplains to be covered with housing, and create a sense of complacency from those still at risk of catastrophic flooding.
29 NSW Local Government areas have now been disaster-declared, following severe weather and flooding from 27th June.
Bayside, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Singleton and Upper Lachlan were added to the list on Thursday, which extends the availability of jointly funded Commonwealth-State disaster assistance.
Available assistance includes support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential roads and public assets.
A controversial decision by Ipswich Council to rename a bridge and road after former mayor Paul Pisasale looks set to be overturned.
Councillors recently voted to reverse a decision of last year, a move that outraged the Council’s mayor and has reportedly prompted an outcry from sections of the community.
The ABC reports that at least one of the councillors who voted to restore the name has now reconsidered.
Cr Russell Milligan says after hearing the concerns of the community, he now believes it was the wrong decision.
A special council meeting has been called for this coming week and it’s believed there will now be majority support for repealing the recent decision to reinstate the signage.
WA’s Town of Victoria Park has had to withdraw a vote on its annual budget after discovering an accounting error which affected calculations for the proposed rate rise.
PerthNow reports that the proposed budget on consultation was based on a 4.6% rate increase, up from 0.88% last year.
CEO Anthony Vuleta said the recommended average per cent increase in rates was mistakenly calculated using recommended rather than endorsed rate figures from the previous financial year.
Staff at the City of Albany have reportedly voted down an enterprise agreement with a 6 per cent pay rise in the first year.
The ABC reports that the Australian Services Union is looking for agreement to a 7.6 per cent rise in line with CPI.
CEO Andrew Sharpe said the council was obliged to provide an affordable and sustainable pay rise, and negotiations are continuing.
https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/101211334
National Briefs:
The CEO at WA’s Town of Bassendean has resigned. Peta Mabbs is leaving after nearly four years to pursue new opportunities.
She has given three months notice. Ms Mabbs held public sector and consulting roles before taking on the CEO position at Bassendean in October 2018.
https://www.bassendean.wa.gov.au/news/resignation-of-towns-chief-executive-officer/807
At Launceston, the tenure of CEO Michael Stretton has been extended with the Council unanimously resolving to offer him a new four year contract.
Mr Stretton joined Launceston as GM in October 2017, after 3 years as GM at Waratah-Wynyard and previous local government roles at Launceston, Glenorchy, Central Coast and Sorell councils.
https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/News-Media/Unanimous-support-for-CEO-contract-extension
WA’s Town of Cambridge has welcomed a new councillor following an extraordinary election earlier this month.
George Randklev was elected on a platform of restoring the trust of residents, replacing Andres Timmermanis who resigned earlier in the year.
PerthNow reports that less than 30 votes separated Cr Randklev from the only other candidate, Basil Palassis.
International Spotlight:
In New Zealand, the chief executive of New Plymouth District Council has resigned suddenly, one week after taking leave for undisclosed reasons.
The Taranaki Daily News has reported on an emergency council meeting, called without public notice, after which a statement was released announcing the resignation of Craig Stevenson.
The statement confirmed that the council had received a complaint about Mr Stevenson’s conduct.
The council expressed its full confidence in acting CEO Jacqueline Baker to continue effectively managing the organisation.
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/council/news/2022/july/npdc-chief-executive-resigns/
New Plymouth District Council boss quits after conduct complaint made | Stuff.co.nz
In England, a lack of social or affordable housing has led one council to offer help moving residents to areas where available accommodation is affordable.
In a BBC report, Cherwell District Council has said there are some very concerning cases where people could be made homeless, and its staff was looking at areas outside of the council area for housing options.
The council currently has 28 homeless households in temporary accommodation, but is concerned that number will increase beyond its capacity to provide local solutions.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-62077794
And as temperatures rise in the UK, the Local Government Association is urging people to keep safe in the water and learn what to do in the case of an emergency.
With a heatwave expected in the coming week, Council leaders are concerned about a repeat of last year when 277 people died as a result of accidental drowning – an increase of 23 on the previous year.
The warning comes ahead of the second annual World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July, with the theme of ‘do one thing to prevent drowning.’
That’s the latest from the Roundup, thanks to the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government. Subscribe to VLGA Connect on YouTube and podcast for regular sessions with local government identities and decision makers.
I’ll be back with more news from around the world of local government on Wednesday. Until then, thanks for listening and bye for now.