Council responds to VAGO Audit findings

Wednesday, 3 July, 2019

Strathbogie Shire Council endorsed a comprehensive action plan in response to the findings of the recent Victorian Auditor-General’s Office Audit Report (VAGO) into Fraud and Corruption Controls at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday 2nd July.

The action plan involved formally accepting the resignation of Steve Crawcour as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from Thursday 27th June 2019.

Council also appointed Phil Howard as Acting CEO until the appointment of a permanent CEO, which is envisaged to happen later this year. 

Strathbogie Shire Mayor Cr Amanda McClaren said the appointment of Phil Howard as Acting CEO will allow the organisation to continue to make some serious policy and procedural improvements before it welcomes a new Chief Executive.

Mayor McClaren said Council is also focused on the very important task of appointing the next CEO, who will be crucial to ensuring the organisation can rebuild community trust with a much tighter focus on the needs and expectations of its ratepayers.

“We take the outcomes of this audit very seriously and it will be an important consideration in the recruitment of our next CEO,” Mayor McClaren explained.

Acting CEO Phil Howard said he is committed to leading the organisation to make the necessary process improvements endorsed by Council at the Special Council Meeting.

“I’d like to acknowledge the frustration felt by our community in relation to the findings of the VAGO Audit Report which has identified a failure by the organisation to meet the expectations of our community,” Mr Howard said.

“I’d like to thank Council for the opportunity to lead this organisation in the interim and I am committed to using the findings in this report as a catalyst for needed change, in not only our policies and procedures, but the organisation’s culture, which is established, monitored and regulated by its senior executives.”

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