Today on the Local Government News Roundup:
One of Victoria’s longest serving Council CEOs is set to step down – but exactly when is yet to be determined;
Council depot workers vote to go on strike;
Melbourne Airport’s third runway plans formally opposed by Brimbank council;
CEO appointment news in Queensland and New South Wales; a regional council blows its budget on legal expenses due to councillor behaviour;
innovative council approaches to combat illegal dumping and hooning; and much more local government news.
Listen on your preferred podcast app, links here or listen directly to this episode here
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
Transcript:
One of Victoria’s longest serving Council CEOs is set to step down – but exactly when is yet to be determined.
That story heads the Roundup for the 22nd May 2022.
Welcome to the Local Government News Roundup. I’m Chris Eddy.
Also today: council depot workers vote to go on strike; Melbourne Airport’s third runway plans formally opposed by Brimbank council; CEO appointment news in Queensland and New South Wales; and a regional council blows its budget on legal expenses due to councillor behaviour.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your national broadcaster for all things local government.
The long serving CEO of Greater Dandenong City Council John Bennie will step down before the end of the year, with his exact departure date yet to be determined.
A report on agenda for the Council’s upcoming meeting recommends the council offer Mr Bennie a new 4 month employment contract, which would effectively extend his tenure out to the 30th November this year.
His current contract is set to expire on the 31st July. He has led the Council for 16 years and is one of the longest serving CEOs in the state.
Mayor Jim Memeti has told the Dandenong Star Journal the extension would allow Mr Bennie to see through the council’s advocacy leading up to November’s state election, and that it would also align with the start of the next mayoral term.
The council report also states that the four month extension would provide for the “advancement and finalisation of specific matters” and provide sufficient time for recruitment of a suitable replacement.
https://www.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/_flysystem/filerepo/A8769343
https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2022-05-20/council-ceo-exits-after-16-years/
Depot workers at Moreland City Council will hold a three day strike this week, over a $50 per week pay rise that they say has been rejected by council management.
The Moreland Leader reports it will be the second strike in a month, following a one day strike in April which caused rubbish to accumulate in Brunswick and Coburg.
Approximately 140 staff members are understood to be involved in the strike action, which will run from Wednesday to Friday.
(Moreland Leader)
Brimbank City Council is formally opposing plans for a third runway at Melbourne Airport.
It says the master plan and development plan doesn’t recognise health impacts on its residents, nor does it consider meaningful reduction and mitigation of the impacts of present and future operations at the airport.
The Council has lodged a submission calling for the federal and state governments to minimise the harm to human health from airport operations.
Brimbank Mayor Jasmine Nguyen says a council commissioned independent assessment exposes an unreasonable, unacceptable and inherently unfair risk to the Brimbank community from the third runway current plans.
Media Release – Brimbank Council opposes Melbourne Airport plans for Third Runway
Corangamite Shire Council has called for tenders for a second time for its major Port Campbell Town Centre Revitalisation Project.
The project received state and federal government funding last year, after which the council advertised for tenders but received no bids.
It’s understood that a combination of market conditions, timing and COVID related staff shortages contributed to the lack of response – a problem being experienced by many councils currently.
To increase the chances of success this time, the council has split the tender into different sections to allow smaller companies to bid.
A collaboration between Indigo, Alpine and Towong Shire councils has resulted in a $750,000 state government grant to streamline and transform core business systems at the councils.
The Rural Councils Transformation Program funding will enable a cloud-based project aimed at delivering key improvements to internal systems, with improved building and planning services a key focus.
The project will deliver a shared platform through which customers will be able to make their applications online and have visibility of the progress of the application, from start to finish.
Briefs:
Darebin City Council has appointed Rachel Ollivier as its Interim CEO, following a confidential special council meeting last week.
Ms Ollivier is the council’s General Manager of Sustainability and Strategy, and will hold down the position while a recruitment and selection process to replace recently departed CEO Sue Wilkinson takes place. Ms Wilkinson takes up the CEO role at Yarra next month.
Strathbogie Shire Council has adopted a new corporate brand, featuring a fresh new logo that it says better represents the rivers and ranges of the shire.
The new logo has been developed by an in-house graphic designer, and is part of efforts to take a more consistent professional and innovative approach to branding and marketing of the shire as a desirable regional location.
https://www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au/images/M_images/factsheet-brand-faqs.pdf
Yarra Ranges has set an opening date for its new civic centre. The new building will open to community and staff for the first time on Monday 30th May; and the first in-person Council meeting with a public gallery will be held on 14th June.
A state government investment in traffic management cameras to help reduce truck movements in residential areas has been welcomed by Maribyrnong City Council.
$350,000 will be spent on cameras to monitor truck movements, and identify problem areas where breaches of legislated bans are occurring.
The Council has had a long held advocacy position in relation to trucks in its residential areas for safety and health reasons.
Maribyrnong Mayor Anthony Tran said the installation of surveillance cameras was a good start to efforts to get big trucks off local roads.
Traffic surveillance cameras and commitment to truck bans welcomed – Maribyrnong
Still to come – CEO appointment news in Queensland and New South Wales; and a regional council blows its budget on legal expenses due to councillor behaviour.
Now for some stories making news around Australia in local government this week:
The CEO of Toowoomba Regional Council in Queensland has been reappointed to the position on a new three year contract.
According to a report from The Chronicle, Brian Pidgeon was reappointed in a confidential meeting of the council last week. He has held the position since 2013.
In March, it was reported that four councillors voted against an extension of Mr Pidgeon’s contract due to a desire to see a change of leadership. However it’s understood this week’s vote was passed unanimously.
Toowoomba Regional Council CEO’s contract extended but pay, details remain secret (Paywall)
The CEO of Infrastructure Australia, Romilly Madew, has been announced as the new CEO of Engineers Australia.
Ms Madew has led the infrastructure body since early 2019, and is a former CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia.
She takes up the role in August.
A council in South Australia has revealed details of expenditure on legal advice and support for dealing with elected member conduct and governance problems.
According to a report from the ABC, Southern Mallee Council has over-expended its budget this financial year by nearly $50K, with more than $60K spent on councillor conduct and governance matters , most of which have been dealt with in confidence.
The mayor, Jeff Nickolls, said the expenditure has been unavoidable and necessary, and that elected members would discuss their behaviour and governance issues to try and bring down legal spending.
Redland City Council in Queensland is calling on its residents to take care with their waste disposal habits after revealing an increase of $3.6M in waste management costs over the past two years.
Mayor Karen Williams said with the state government waste rebate reducing in coming years, it was more important than ever for residents to be mindful of what they place in their waste, recycling and green waste bins.
The council has conducted waste audits which reveal around 37% of household waste is green waste that should be placed in the organics green bin collection service. It has adopted a new waste reduction and recycling plan, and will focus on encouraging residents to ‘lift the right lid.’
Wasteful habits add to Redlands waste bill
Meanwhile in Byron Shire in NSW, a sophisticated new camera is being enlisted in the battle against illegal dumping.
1,300 tonnes of illegally dumped waste was reported in the shire last year, costing ratepayers more than $175,000.
A new camera and surveillance technology will be used in addition to small hidden cameras deployed to known hot spots, based on data collected over recent years.
The council says information collected through the devices will be used to identify and prosecute people who dump waste illegally.
New camera installed to catch people dumping rubbish – Byron Shire Council
A new anti-hooning trial is under way in Moreton Bay Regional Council.
The trial is using an innovative new road surface which shreds tyres during burn-outs.
The calcite bauxite treatment has been applied at two intersections in Joyner and Brendale.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the surface would not damage tyres under normal driving conditions, but that the trial would show whether it has any noise impacts and how it holds up under the weight of daily traffic.
The trial will run for nine months before a decision is made on whether to roll the new surface out to other hooning hotspots.
Innovative road surface at core of anti-hooning trial – Moreton Bay Regional Council
WA’s Minister for Local Government has expressed concern about councils in that state convening sudden meetings, sometimes with as little as 15 minutes notice.
John Carey says the practice of calling sudden meetings deprives councillors and members of the public to participate in the meetings, and erodes public confidence in local government.
Minister Carey is also concerned about matters being considered in camera that don’t need to be treated as confidential.
The Minister’s statement follows reports of a special meeting at the Town of Cambridge being called earlier this month with just 22 minutes notice. A report from Perthnow.com suggests that the confidential meeting was called to discuss the removal of confidentiality from past council decisions.
The Minister has flagged changes to notice requirements and limited circumstances for confidential matters as part of local government reforms.
Cambridge mayor gives councillors 22 minutes to make meeting | PerthNow
A new report has called for stronger state laws that would help local governments contain feral and free-roaming cats.
The report from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub recommends harmonised legislation at the state level, mandating responsible pet cat management.
It proposes a range of mandatory conditions for registration, desexing, ownership limits and containment of cats, as well as provisions to enable local governments to designate mandatory cat prohibition zones.
You can read more at the report on the Australian Local Government Association website – link in the show notes.
To the National Briefs now:
Murray River Council has a new deputy mayor, following an election this week for which only one nomination was received. Cr Frank Crawley steps into the role, in support of current mayor Chris Bilkey.
New Deputy Mayor Murray River Council
Greater Hume Council in NSW has appointed a new General Manager. Evelyn Arnold, currently a director at Southern Grampians Shire in Victoria, has been appointed on a 5 year contract and will take up the position in July.
The vacancy has arisen due to the pending retirement of long serving GM Stephen Pinnuck.
Greater Hume Council appoints new General Manager for five year term
Former Bega Valley Shire General Manager Leanne Barnes has been awarded the Public Service Medal, recognising her leadership, expertise and commitment in response and recovery to 15 natural disasters in the shire since 2013.
Ms Barnes is currently the interim CEO of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation.
The City of Hobart has taken out a national award for technology and digital innovation.
The council’s Connected City division was recognised at the Planning Institute of Australia awards for its contemporary design approach to reimagining the humble bus shelter.
International Spotlight:
In England, a local mayor has been accused of failing to act appropriately over alleged behaviour of an advisor.
According to a BBC report, the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Nik Johnson, is under investigation after a whistleblowing inquiry found an advisor to the mayor caused stress and strain to colleagues.
The anonymous whistleblowing complaint about behaviour and the use of a government procurement card was lodged last year, prompting an independent investigation which found that the evidence gathered supported the allegations made.
The advisor, Nigel Pauley, resigned in February this year, and the BBC says it understands a code conduct investigation in relation to the actions of Mayor Johnson.
Cambridgeshire mayor under investigation after whistleblowing report – BBC News
To Ireland, where a citizen’s assembly is considering a proposal for a directly-elected mayor for the city of Dublin.
The assembly is hearing how the directly elected mayor system operates in other places, such as Boston, Helsinki and Paris.
According to a report from IrishTimes.com, the current Lord Mayor of Dublin Cr Alison Gilliland has addressed the assembly this weekend, and supports the prospect of a directly elected mayor. She said it offered an opportunity for citizens to be empowered through the ballot box to choose a vision of their city.
The 80 member assembly held its inaugural meeting last month, and is expected to take about 8 months before making a report with recommendations to the government for consideration.
Directly elected mayor for Dublin would empower citizens – Lord Mayor of Dublin
About the Dublin Citizens’ Assembly
In Germany, the town of Walldorf has issued an order to cat owners to confine their pets indoors for the next three months in a bid to protect a rare bird during its breeding season.
The Associated Press reports that the move is designed to help save the crested lark, which nest on the ground making it easy prey for cats.
The decree applies to all cats in the southern part of the town, and will be repeated for three years. However, cat owners are not happy and legal steps are being taken to challenge the decree.
Bad Kitty: German town grounds cats to save rare birds | AP News
Now, while they’re calling cats home in Walldorf, cat-calling of a different kind is on the increase in the Netherlands – but not the reasons you might think.
The city of Utrecht has launched a campaign to show men how uncomfortable and even threatening catcalling can be for women.
In a bid to cut down on sexual harassment, men will be catcalled by women f rom a screen set up in the city’s downtown area.
A report from narcity.com says after being catcalled, the men will be chased down by someone who will explain the campaign to them.
It’s understood the campaign will not just focus on the female experience, but also impacts on members of the LGBTQIA+ community and those with visibly represented religious beliefs.
Men Are Being Catcalled In This Dutch City & It’s Just To Show Them What Women Deal With – Narcity
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.