Today on the Local Government News Roundup, the latest mayoral election results from councils around Victoria; another council to exit aged care services; the battle for the northern suburbs in Qld’s Livingstone Shire is over; Kiama responds to proposed state government intervention; election results in Tasmania; and NZ Councils’ management of drinking water comes up short.
Listen to this episode here, and find the link for your podcast player here for any of the 169 episodes so far. Scroll down for the transcript for episode 169 with story links.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcast on all things local government; and by Technology One’s 2022 Local Government Digital Transformation Index – download the new report now to find out how your council shapes up.
Transcript (with story links):
Episode 169 LG News Roundup, 6th November 2022
Hello and welcome to the Local Government News Roundup. This is your update for the 6th November. I’m Chris Eddy.
Today, the latest mayoral election result from councils around Victoria; another council to exit aged care services; the battle for the northern suburbs in Qld’s Livingstone Shire is over; Kiama responds to proposed state government intervention; election results in Tasmania; and NZ Councils’ management of drinking water comes up short.
And much more ahead on the Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; and by Technology One’s 2022 Local Government Digital Transformation Index – new report out now.
First up today, the results from Mayoral elections conducted around Victoria since our last episode:
At West Wimmera Shire, first term councillor Tim Meyer has been elected as mayor for the first time, succeeding his father Bruce Meyer, who has served eight terms as mayor since 1997.
Jodie Pretlove is continuing as Deputy Mayor.
Wellington Shire Councillors have re-elected Ian Bye to the mayoralty for a second consecutive term, while first term councillor John Tatterson was elected as deputy mayor.
At Hume City Council, Joseph Haweil has been returned to the mayoralty for a second time, having first held the role in the first year of the current council term.
Karen Sherry was elected as Deputy Mayor.
At Melton City Council, third term councillor Lara Carli is back in the mayoral robes – it’s her second time in the role – her first mayoral term was in 2019/20.
Julie Shannon was chosen for deputy mayor.
The mayoralty at Mildura Rural City Council has remained with Cr Liam Wood, for a second consecutive term, while Helen Healy has been elected as deputy mayor for the second time.
Manningham City Council has a new mayor, with the election of Dierdre Diamante on Thursday evening. Cr Tomas Lightbody capped a momentous day in which he completed his masters’ degree by being elected as deputy Mayor of Manningham.
And on Friday evening, Campaspe Shire elected a new Mayor – Rob Amos will take up the role from outgoing mayor Chrissy Weller; while Colleen Gates – a former mayor at Hobsons Bay City Council – will serve a second consecutive term as Deputy Mayor.
Of the 16 results determined so far in this round of mayoral elections, 10 of the incoming mayors are men, and six are women.
24 councils are expected to hold mayoral elections in the coming week – and you can keep up to date with results as they become available on our website.
Now to other news
At Ballarat, CEO Evan King has announced a proposal to withdraw from the delivery of in-home aged care services and support from 30 June next year.
Under a proposed new service model, the Council would not become a provider of the Federal Government’s new Support at Home program, and will support clients to transition to new providers.
Mr King said a recommendation would be put to a Council meeting later this month, after receiving comments from staff on the proposed change.
Greater Shepparton City Council is considering its role in relation to January 26 from next year and beyond.
A community stakeholder group was formed to provide advice and share views, with feedback gathered on the city’s Australia Day Awards, citizenship ceremonies, and feelings towards January 26.
After receiving recommendations from the group, the Council has committed to a range of actions, including advocating for a change of date for Australia’s national day and a removal of the requirement to conduct citizenship ceremonies on January 26.
It also plans to fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag at half-mast on January 26, and to conduct continued community engagement about Australia Day in 2024 and beyond.
The CEO of Victoria’s peak body for Councils, Kerry Thompson, will leave the role next year.
MAV President Cr David Clark recently announced that Ms Thompson had decided to step down after the next Board election in March.
The former Wyndham and Maribyrnong CEO joined the MAV in 2018, becoming the association’s first female CEO since its formation in 1879.
Cr Clark said the arrangements were under way for the recruitment of the next MAV Chief Executive.
Victoria’s peak body for local government professionals, LGPro, has released its advocacy agenda, ahead of the state election.
LGPro President Liana Thompson said the advocacy agenda has a focus on culture, inclusion and skills.
The peak body is calling for financial and legislative investment in improving relationships between councillors and officers; funding to support diversity initiatives; and financial support to fill current and emerging skills gaps being faced by councils.
Briefs:
LGPro’s Women’s Professional Development Forum is being held on Wednesday.
Delegates will be taking on issues, opportunities and challenges facing women across the local government sector.
Keynote speakers include Catherine Fox, a journalist and author, and one of Australia’s leading workplace and leadership commentators.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has been recognised for its innovative four bin system, picking up an award at the Waste and Innovation Recycling Awards in Melbourne.
The council was one of the first in the state to introduce the four bin waste and recycling system in February 2020.
It won the regional category for most Outstanding Waste and Resource Recovery Project.
The peak body for mainstreet businesses is warning that local shopping precincts could disappear without urgent state government support.
Mainstreet Australia has launched a plan to work with the government to protect and enhance main streets and the businesses that sustain them.
It says vacancy rates in main streets have risen since the onset of the pandemic and is now at 20 per cent in some areas.
Coming Up: The battle for the northern suburbs in Qld’s Livingstone Shire is over; Kiama responds to proposed state government intervention; election results in Tasmania; and NZ Councils’ management of drinking water comes up short. All that and more ahead on this Sunday edition of the LGNR.
The term on everyone’s lips these days is ‘digital transformation’ – so, how does your council shape up?
TechnologyOne’s 2022 Local Government Digital Transformation Index measures SaaS migration in councils today. The report’s findings come from a survey of local government leaders across Australia and New Zealand in 2022. And it shows where digital transformation is sitting in the local government sector, where it is heading and identifies some of the sticking points that need to be overcome.
The report also outlines the characteristics of best-in-class councils, so you can learn from others in the sector and use their experience to transform your council into the best digitised version of itself – for you, your people and your community.
So, what does it mean for your council?
We will discuss the report findings in detail in this coming Wednesday’s episode of the Roundup, but in the meantime you can download your free copy of the report from the link in the show notes.
Now in today’s National Roundup, some recent developments of note to catch up on:
In Queensland, the future of the Livingstone Shire suburbs of Glenlee, Glendale and Rockyview appears settled.
This week, Livingstone and Rockhampton councils were advised that the minister supports a Change Commission recommendation not to transfer the suburbs to Rockhampton Regional Council.
Livingstone Mayor Andy Ireland said the decision provides surety for residents of the shire, and called for regional cooperation in development of plans for the northern corridor.
Kiama Council, in NSW, has formally responded to a letter from the Minister for Local Government about issuing a performance improvement order and appointing a financial adviser.
The Council says it accepts that an improvement order may be necessary given its financial position, but it objects to the appointment of a financial adviser.
It says it is of the view that it would be cost prohibitive, and if it occurs, the state government should bear the cost.
Mayor Neil Reilly said the council has asked the minister for the chance to keep being proactive, without the need for the performance improvement orders or the expensive appointment of a financial adviser.
The new City of Hobart Council will be sworn in on Monday after the confirmation of the new group of councillors.
Re-elected Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds has paid tribute to four outgoing members of the council, including long term members Jeff Briscoe, Damon Thomas, and one term councillors Jax Fox and Will Coats.
Cr Helen Burnet was re-elected to the Deputy Lord Mayor position.
The first meeting of the new council will be on 21st November.
Meanwhile in Launceston, seven new councillors have been elected, with five incumbent councillors retaining their seats.
Incumbent councillor Danny Gibson was elected Mayor from a field of five candidates, becoming the 77th person to hold the position.
There were 10 candidates for deputy mayor, with Matthew Garwood successful in that election.
The new council will first meet on 17th November.
New laws have come into effect in NSW this month that are expected to save Councils more than $10M a year in costs to deal with unattended property.
The laws are the biggest reform to impounding laws in 30 years.
Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman said unattended property, such as abandoned shopping trolleys and vehicles, will spend less time on the streets and in public spaces, with owners to be held more accountable.
Ms Tuckerman said there will be a six month grace period where warnings will be issued for unattended property, rather than fines, in most cases.
The new rules also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers and caravans, share bikes and personal watercraft.
The Queensland Beef Corridors group of councils have welcomed a federal government commitment of $400M for upgrades to the beef supply chain road network.
QBC spokesperson and Central Highlands Mayor Kerry Hayes said the announcement of the funding as a priority infrastructure project in the federal budget is good news for the beef industry.
He said the works would be delivered over a six year program of works, in a collaboration across all levels of government, industry and community.
At Longreach Council in Queensland, former Barcaldine Council CEO Brett Walsh has been appointed as Acting CEO while a recruitment process is under way to replace Dirk Dowling, who resigned last month.
Mr Dowling resigned during his probationary period, after moving from West Coast Council in Tasmania in July this year.
Mr Walsh told CQToday that he had been asked to step in to steady the ship and manage the organisation over the next four months. He recently left Barcaldine after 14 years with the council.
In National briefs:
WA mayors from Perth, South Perth, Vincent and Victoria Park met this week to sign a memorandum of understanding to focus on strategic collaboration.
The updatedMOU will guide collaboration for the next three years, and will continue to focus on ways to reduce costs and improve outcomes on inner-city issues.
The City of Fremantle may need to upgrade its trophy cabinet after its Walyalup Civic Centre picked up two more major awards at the Australian Institute of Architects national awards.
The development won in the public architecture and urban design categories. This adds to its win earlier this year of WA’s highest honour for architecture, along with awards for heritage architecture and property development.
South Australia’s Naracoorte Lucindale Council has been named a regional winner in the Minister for Health And Wellbeing’s Excellence in Public Health Awards.
The award recognised the council’s delivery of over 20 inclusive and diverse programs to improve the public health in local communities.
And Devonport in Tasmania is set to host the World Triathlon Para Series next March as part of a triathlon festival.
Mayor Annette Rockcliff said the series will bring some of the world’s best paralympic and world champions to the Mersey Bluff. An estimated 1500 plus visitors are expected to come to the region for the week-long festival.
Don’t forget to register for the upcoming VLGA/LGIU live global panel on the topic of COP 26 – one year on.
The 26th UN Climate Change Conference in November last year resulted in the Glasgow Climate Pact, with 197 parties committing to measures including the reduction of the use of coal, and more urgent greenhouse gas emissions cuts.
Next week’s global panel brings together leaders from Ireland, England and Australia to discuss actions taken and progress made over the past 12 months.
You’ll hear from the former CEO of Ireland’s Sligo County Council, Ciaran Hayes; CEO of England’s Lakeland District Council, Lawrence Conway; Dr Rosemary Dillon, CEO of Blue Mountains City Council in NSW; and Darcy Pimblett from Australia’s Cities Power Partnership.
You can be part of this exclusive panel presentation and discussion which is happening at 6.30pm on Thursday 10th November via Zoom.
Register now on the event page of the VLGA website – link in the show notes.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association – the national broadcaster on all things local government.
Now to today’s International Spotlight, highlighting some stories of interest from beyond our borders..
New research in New Zealand has shown that councils there had only achieved fluoride targets for drinking water, 54 percent of the time over the last 30 years.
Researchers at the Universities of Otago and Canterbury have found that even the best performing water supply only achieved fluoridation targets 78 percent of the time.
The research found that city councils generally outperformed smaller councils.
The failures were largely from adding too little fluoride to drinking water.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Wellington Water had not been fluoridating the city’s water supplies for almost a year, and dosing had been inconsistent for nearly four years, due to faulty equipment.
In the US, a high number of rent control policy measures are appearing on ballots for city and county elections across the country this month.
The measures are attempts by local communities to halt rising rents and ensure vulnerable residents can get or retain housing.
The Associated Press says the measures are being actively opposed by the real-estate industry, which says rent control will lead to higher prices and discourage the construction of affordable housing.
In some areas, rents have jumped by 25% in just one year.
And from the UK comes news that leisure centres and swimming pools in three quarters of council areas are at risk of closure within 18 months, due to the high cost of energy.
Localgov.co.uk reports on new research that found centres in 40 percent of council areas are at risk of losing services before next March.
The head of UKactive, which conducted the research, has called on the government to intervene to stem the flow of closures.
That’s the latest from the Local Government News Roundup.
You can find more information at our website – lgnewsroundup.com – including our regularly updated list of Victorian mayoral election results and CEO appointment news.
The Local Government News Roundup returns with more on Wednesday, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; and Technology One’s 2022 Local Government Digital Transformation Index – download your free copy now.
Until then, thanks for listening and bye for now.