Council is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in our decision making and continually improving how we do things as an organisation as we guide our region through the next 20 years.

We have spent time building the right governance foundations and developing the structures, systems, processes, technology, and culture to ensure we can fulfill our legislative role as well as deliver services that meet the needs, expectations, and aspirations of our communities. We want to reset and redirect our focus towards excellence.

Responsible long-term financial sustainability will ensure that Council remains in a healthy financial position and can deliver on our vision along with the day-to-day services and programs our communities expect. It will give Council the flexibility to make informed decisions and ensure resources are distributed fairly between current and future ratepayers.

To lead by example, we will need to balance investment in new assets to meet our growth needs with managing and maintain existing assets. We are already progressing Council towards an advanced state of asset management practice that will continue to evolve and mature.

There are also opportunities to take a more strategic approach to our procurement to increase efficiencies, save money and achieve more sustainable outcomes for our businesses and communities.

Effective leadership and good governance are key enablers of community trust. They will build enduring confidence and respect between Council and our communities.

• Implementing a Governance and Integrity Program to ensure continuous improvement of our governance systems and practices and improve our communities’ trust and confidence in Council.
• Started a major review of our local laws to better respond to our communities’ changing needs.
• Live streaming Council General Meetings to increase transparency and participation in decision-making.
• Developing a strategic procurement framework to strengthen internal efficiencies, savings and long-term sustainability to deliver our goals and outcomes.
• Implementing a local preference objective to support local businesses and contribute to the region’s jobs target.
• Implementing an asset management maturity program to support advanced planning and optimise resource allocation for asset maintenance, renewal and upgrade.
• Developing a project prioritisation framework to increase alignment with our goals, support effective risk management and increase the delivery rate of our capital works program.

• Support Council to provide transparent and accountable leadership, decision-making and effective communication that builds community trust.
• Embed our governance, risk and integrity culture, systems and processes to build community trust and confidence.
• Ensure Council’s policies and local laws are current, align with legislative requirements and address community needs and expectations.
• Ensure Council’s financial resources are managed sustainably and deliver on our long-term vision and goals.
• Strengthen our asset management approach to optimise the value of our assets for our communities now and in the future.
• Grow our project management capabilities to improve delivery success and increase alignment with our vision and goals.
• Ensure our procurement practices are robust and transparent, enabling us to achieve value for money by partnering with suppliers and businesses.