Headlining the latest edition of the Local Government News Roundup:
- Unruly councillors on notice at a Melbourne council
- Frustrating and disappointing council decisions under scrutiny
- More councils take a stand on inappropriate behaviour towards councillors and staff
- A former peak body CEO puts his hand up for council elections
- Townsville’s mayor resisting calls for his resignation
- A councillor resigns amid claims of a dysfunctional environment
- and the councillor who refuses to abide by rulings on nine conduct breaches in eight months
Plus more Council news from across Australia and beyond on the Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association,
with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment service and business advisory practice, presenting LG Innovate: Artificial Intelligence Summit for the local government C-Suite at Peregian Beach in September – early bird bookings open now.
Listen to this episode here, and find the link for your podcast player here.
Transcript for episode 344:
Victorian Roundup:
Hume City Council is considering a change to its governance rules that would allow the chair to remove disruptive councillors from meetings.
Sunbury Life has reported that the proposal, put forward by Councillor Carly Moore, is in response to an incident where a meeting was adjourned due to unruly behaviour.
The proposal has received mixed reactions, with some councillors expressing concerns about potential bias and disruption to the balance of the chamber.
The proposed change will need to undergo public consultation before being considered for adoption by the Council.
A father and son duo, Tom and Peter Mornement, are protesting against Boroondara council’s decision to demolish their successful outdoor dining space.
The Herald Sun reported that The Birdcage, at the Bin 3 Cafe and Cellar in Balwyn, will be removed by June 30 after a survey revealed strong community support for the space, but complaints about the impact on parking availability from other traders.
The Mornements argue that the loss of the community-oriented space is unjust and detrimental to the local community.
However, a council spokesperson said the council had taken the view that the outcome should benefit all traders, not just one.
The administrative decision is set for review by councillors at an upcoming meeting.
An historic church in Keysborough is set to be sold on the open market after Greater Dandenong Council decided against purchasing it, in what the Dandenong Star Journal has described as a shock development.
It comes after more than two years of negotiations between Greater Dandenong council and the Uniting Church in efforts to preserve the vandalised and decaying building.
The council’s decision not to pursue the purchase has disappointed a community group that hoped to renovate and use the 147 year old building as a public facility.
The Borough of Queenscliffe council has disallowed the local Football and Netball Club from having a coffee van at home games, a decision that has sparked outrage within the club according to the Geelong Advertiser.
The club had previously had coffee vans at games, but a local trader made a complaint to the council, citing a local law established in 2011 that requires such trading activities to be linked to an event with a granted permit.
Melton City Council has welcomed the Victorian Government’s concept designs for two level crossing removals at Ferris Road in Melton and Hopkins Road in Truganina, which include new road bridges and walking and cycling paths.
The Level Crossing Removal Authority is seeking community feedback on the designs this month.
The Council has advocated for two road lanes in each direction for the bridges to meet current and future demand, and for the bridges to be future-proofed for duplication.
Major construction is set to begin later this year, with all level crossing removals to be completed by 2026.
Another former mayor will not be contesting elections in October.
Greater Shepparton councillor Seema Abdullah, who served as mayor in 2019/2020, has announced she plans to explore other professional interests.
In the remaining months of the current term, Cr Abdullah says she is eager to support other women candidates running for election.
Victorian Briefs:
A new Youth Hub in Nillumbik Shire has officially commenced construction.
The hub in Diamond Creek will provide a vibrant new space for young people, and its design has been informed by local youth.
The State Government has contributed $300K towards the $1M project.
West Wimmera Shire has announced the availability from the end of June of two new fully furnished cabins at the Kaniva Poolside Caravan Park.
They are the first of 30 planned cabins across 15 caravan parks in the Wimmera, funded through a $3M state government grant and $500k from the shire.
The Council hopes the new cabins will help meet a need for mid-range accommodation in the region.
The City of Moonee Valley has been recognised as the top collector of unwanted mobile phones among Victorian local governments in the annual MobileMuster for the 2023-24 financial year, collecting 228 kilograms of mobile matter.
The MobileMuster recycling program aims to keep mobile phones and their components out of landfill, with over 6,000 kilograms collected from councils alone during this year’s program.
Greater Shepparton City Council has launched a free mobile app, developed by the Council’s Digital Media team.
The app provides community updates, bin collection schedules, event information, service requests, visitor information, and parking and public transport details.
National Roundup:
NSW:
A regional council’s proposal to discontinue maintenance on roads with low traffic volume has sparked outrage from local residents, according to About Regional.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council has proposed the measure as a way of cutting costs and balancing the budget.
The plan also includes reducing weed spray on roadsides and defunding a road safety officer position.
Feedback is open on the changes to the council’s four year delivery program, and online forums are already giving a strong sense of community feeling about the proposals.
Mayor Chris Hanna said the council cannot afford to maintain its full road network without additional funding from other levels of government.
Berrigan Shire Council’s CEO, Karina Ewer, has called out the disrespectful and inappropriate behaviour directed towards council staff and councillors.
Ms Ewer has released a statement reminding the public that councillors and staff members are also community members who deserve respect in all interactions.
She said that despite the necessity of making difficult and unpopular decisions, there is no excuse for the abuse they are currently enduring.
Ms Ewer has warned that disrespectful behaviour will not be tolerated, and staff are authorised to terminate calls or report abuse to the police.
Meanwhile at Shoalhaven, council staff have engaged with police to work on appropriate safety measures after a spate of incidents including verbal abuse, physical threats and racial slurs.
Local police have provided assistance in developing the council’s new Zero Tolerance process which is being adopted across Council operations.
Kiama Council has announced Hall & Prior Aged Care as the preferred buyer for the Blue Haven Bonaira aged care facility.
The council voted last week to accept Hall & Prior’s offer and expects to have a contract finalised in July, with settlement anticipated in September.
Hall & Prior is a leading provider of residential aged care, retirement living, and home care services in New South Wales and Western Australia.
Georges River Council has committed to addressing the national housing crisis in the Georges River Area with its Additional and Diverse Housing Planning Proposal.
The proposal aims to balance increased housing supply with the protection of local characteristics like heritage, the foreshore environment, and biodiversity.
It plans to allow 8,245 new dual occupancies, townhouses, villas, and small-scale apartments in low and medium-density residential areas.
The proposal will only progress if the council is granted a deferral from the State Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing proposal.
Adrian Beresford-Wylie, a former peak body chief executive, has announced his candidacy for Goulburn Mulwaree Council, opposing the proposed 51.2% rate increase and criticising the council’s 2024-25 operational plan.
Mr Beresford-Wylie was CEO of the Australian Local Government Association for 15 years until his retirement in 2021.
About Regional reported that he is campaigning on improved communication with ratepayers, reviewing employee and IT expenses, and is critical of the council for not adequately managing its resources, which he says is evidence of a sudden decline in its financial position.
QLD:
Townsville mayor Troy Thompson is resisting calls for his resignation after admitting to misleading voters about his military service during his mayoral campaign.
Premier Steven Miles has described him as a “weak leader” and said it was not in the best interests of the Townsville community for him to remain as mayor, according to the Brisbane Times.
Cr Thompson has apologised for misleading voters, and criticised the media for how they have reported the story.
He says he has no plans to walk away, even after all 10 Townsville councillors held a press conference on Friday afternoon calling for his resignation, as reported by The Guardian.
They say they’ve lost confidence in him, and if he does not resign, they will move a motion at the this week’s council meeting asking the local government minister to suspend him pending ongoing investigations.
Debra Robinson, an experienced executive with a strong background in local government and private sector leadership, has been appointed as the interim CEO of Sunshine Coast Council.
She previously served as the Council’s Group Executive for Customer and Planning Services and as Director Major Projects and Strategic Property.
Ms Robinson will take over from Emma Thomas on June 14, and says that she will not be applying for the permanent role.
Queensland’s Central Highlands Council has accepted the resignation of its acting CEO Ross Higgins, who will leave the organisation on the 28th June.
At a meeting last week, the council delegated to the mayor and deputy mayor to seek candidates for a replacement acting CEO, and will call a special meeting when it is ready to make an appointment.
NT:
The NT News has reported on growing frustrations at the City of Darwin with a councillor who refuses to adhere to sanctions ordered for conduct breaches.
Amye Un has been ordered to undertake seven rounds of training, two mediation processes, and three written apologies as a result of nine conduct breaches over eight months.
And she has told the NT News that she has no intention of completing any of them.
Complaints against Cr Un have been lodged by various parties, including the Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis, CEO Simone Saunders and a former councillor.
Cr Un is currently subject to a trespass notice, banning her from attending council meetings in person.
Barkly Regional Council has appointed Chris Kelly as its new CEO, effective from July 1.
Mr Kelly has previous experience at West Arnhem Regional Council as its Chief Operations Officer, and was recently CEO of Tropical Vets.
Jeff MacLeod will continue as Acting CEO until Mr Kelly’s arrival
WA:
Councillor Leo McManus OAM has resigned from the City of Nedlands Council, effective 1 June 2024.
Cr McManus was first elected as a Hollywood Ward councillor in 2011 and served as Deputy Mayor from June 2020 to October 2023.
The West Australian reported that Cr McManus blamed mayor Fiona Argyle for a dysfunctional environment at the council, and that his resignation came the day after a council meeting that he did not attend.
National Briefs:
The City of Joondalup has postponed the decision to release an Expression of Interest (EOI) for an e-scooter rideshare service until at least August.
PerthNow reported that the delay is to allow the council to address issues such as the trial’s location and parking regulations for the scooters.
The City of Darwin is expanding its micromobility services beyond the city centre to the Darwin Waterfront Precinct.
The increase in availability of Beam’s e-scooters, e-bikes, and seated e-scooters is expected to enhance sustainable transportation options for both tourists and locals.
The City of Newcastle is backing a zero-emissions future with a 12-month trial of a hydrogen-powered waste collection truck.
The hydrogen fuel cell electric truck, which is significantly quieter and emits no exhaust, will be provided by Australian clean energy business Pure Hydrogen.
The data from the trial will inform future purchases of waste trucks.
Global Roundup:
UK:
The next government of the UK is being urged to provide long-term funding and fundamental reform for local services to avoid a breaking point within the next two years.
The County Councils Network has produced a Manifesto for Counties, calling for increased funds for adult social care and children’s services, price caps in the children’s residential care market, and extended economic devolution.
The CCN is a network of 20 English county councils and 17 unitary authorities.
In its manifesto, it warns that the incoming government will inherit a situation with council finances ‘extremely precarious’.
Barnsley Council in South Yorkshire has defended its decision to demolish 30 terraced houses in Goldthorpe and replace them with nine new council homes.
BBC News reported that the move has raised questions due to the nearly £3m cost of buying and demolishing the homes.
The council argues that building new rather than renovating existing homes will diversify available property types and provide quality, affordable, environmentally-friendly housing options.
NZ:
Nelson City Council has submitted a request to the government to reconsider its position on Māori Wards.
It is submission, the council argues that the bill creates distinctions between Māori wards and others, which do not require polls, and call for consistent treatment of all wards.
They also express concern over the short timeframe for submissions on the bill.
The council plans to discuss the bill further and may provide a supplementary submission.
It was not a signatory to a recent sector submission as its Mayor is the Chair of a national working group on local government electoral reform
EUROPE:
The deputy head of the Rivne Oblast council in Ukraine has been charged with bribery and abuse of power, according to a report from Kyiv Independent.
It is alleged that the official accepted a bribe worth around $15,000 in exchange for helping an entrepreneur dispose of a property previously owned by local authorities.
The investigation was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, and follows a separate case in November 2023, where another council member was suspected of illicitly acquiring assets worth millions of dollars.
CANADA:
In Canada, a councillor at the Eastern Ontario town of Prescott, Lee McConnell, has been found to have breached the municipal code of conduct nearly a dozen times during the process of declaring a parcel of land as surplus.
The Recorder reported that council voted to declare the land a surplus property, opening it up for potential housing development.
A report from the Integrity Commissioner has found that Cr McConnell used his role on the heritage committee to undermine the council’s decision-making process, had a conflict of interest due to his proximity to the land, and attempted to influence the vote.
The report recommends McConnell be removed from the heritage committee and lose his salary for 15 days as a penalty.