Victoria’s peak organisation for local government has rejected a recommendation by the state’s anti-corruption watchdog to take recruitment of CEOs out of the hands of councils.
As reported by Government News, IBAC in July released a damning report on corruption involving councillors and property developers, which found two former councillors accepted combined benefits of more than $1 million for promoting the interests of a developer.
IBAC’s report on Operation Sandon said that local government CEOS have the advantage of being able to observe integrity breaches involving councillors, but in this case their ability to deal with breaches was limited by the fact they were directly employed by councillors.
IBAC called for reform to strengthen the independence of CEOs to ensure they are more empowered to respond to poor behaviour by councillors, including that the recruitment, employment and remuneration of a CEO should be determined by an independent committee.
Councils must retain autonomy
In a full response to the report released issued last week, the president of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) David Clark said MAV welcomed reform to the local government sector, but said it was crucial that councils maintained their autonomy.
The relationship between an elected council and their CEO was critical and fundamental to the operation of every council, Cr Clark said.
The local government sector cannot support a recommendation impacting a council’s ability to recruit and manage the employment and performance of its CEO
MAV president David Clark
“The local government sector cannot support a recommendation impacting a council’s ability to recruit and manage the employment and performance of its CEO,” he said.
“This would result in a fundamental change to the role and function of an elected council.
“As the employed elected concils must have responsibility for decisions about all of the employment arrangements of their CEOs.”
Don’t sideline us, MAV says
He also said MAV has requested that it be included in the body tasked with coordinating implementation of the report’s recommendations, including any planning reforms, to ensure their local government’s technical expertise and local knowledge isn’t lost.
“Councils decide 99 per cent of planning applications locally, which means they are the subject matter experts,” Cr Clark said.
“They appreciate the myriad of opportunities to improve the planning system and have requested that the planning minister and department partner with the MAV and the local government sector.”
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@governmentnews.com.au.
Sign up to the Government News newsletter
This is typical of the state decision making where the actions of a few affect the good majority. Crs are elected to make sure proper process is followed and monitoring the CEO is part of their responsibility
If only some of them would realise this and reign in the incompetent and complicit CEOs that run amok
Jack, if only the full details of the Councillor arbitrations and costs were made fully public. If only the grown-ups didn’t fight so much. If only CEO’s were not given publicly funded $30K farewells. If only we could trust officers to not be biased and political. If only we could trust people with our public money………if only there was a shred of integrity in the ludicrous decision making of Councillors, if only Councillors didnt suck up to political parties and sitting MP’s, if only Councillors had the communities interests at heart and not their own selfish motives, IF ONLY
All of this is starting to look like the State Government is positioning itself to have greater control over all local government affairs. Think, another round of Council amalgamations -think local government exists in all states only under licence from the State Government – think no constitutional recognition of local government in Australia as the third tier of Government in Australia.