Interim Administrator Minute – Community Update

In my first minute to Council in June I stated that residents could be assured that I would do my best to independently serve in an honest, open and transparent way ensuring all voices are heard. I can report that I am confident that this culture is now being embedded in the day to day administrative operations of ARC.

When I took on the role I had no idea of the level of toxicity between elected members and elected members and senior staff and that the dysfunction had in effect cascaded resulting in processes and procedures of the administration in some areas collapsing. Nor did I appreciate the tenuous state of the Council’s finances and the now proven financial ineptitude of the newly merged Council in its early years. Add to all this complexity the fact that in many areas harmonisation of Council services and policies following the 2016 merger were still to be completed.

It was my early observation that at both the elected and staff levels there were far too many personal agendas at the expense of the community and the Council was not operating in accordance with its statutory obligations.

While I do not propose to name individuals who have assisted me in the fresh and back to basics start for the Council the work of Acting General Manager Mr David Kerr who laid some initial foundations and Acting General Manager Mr John Rayner in leading the recovery in both identifying and addressing administrative shortcomings and failures must be acknowledged. Obviously they have been supported by core people in the organisation with a fresh outlook that focuses on added transparency and community engagement.

I do not propose to outline the key achievements as in reality they are still a work in progress but would simply refer interested residents to the content of Council meeting agendas – a massive turnaround in such a short period. To you all I say well done but the rebuild has just started and many more tough decisions and recommendations to the elected body are going to have to be made by the incoming General Manager.

It would be remiss of me not to make some observation on the recently completed consultation on a possible Special Rate Variation (SRV). I sat through a few of the very professional staff presentations but still do not understand why the Council left it so late when they knew the 10% temporary levy finishes on 30 June 2021. I have read a number of the submissions and heard first hand the views of many people and in my view the status quo should remain as the Council needs to get its own house in order.

A complete review of levels of service needs to be undertaken to see if residents are in fact getting value for money and the back to basics regime commenced by Mr Rayner given time to be embedded.

In short, Councillors and staff need to focus on the Council’s core responsibilities and I hope that I have played my part in this regard.

The decision of the Minister for Local Government of placing a Performance Improvement Order on the Council will go a long way to having Councillors only focus on their statutory responsibilities and the community should applaud the appointment of Mr Rayner as both the Temporary Advisor and Financial Controller until the September 2021 elections. His acknowledged local government reputation and track record in the past few months at ARC speak for themselves.    

I continue to be contacted by suspended Councillors questioning some of my public statements. I have been very careful not to point the finger at any individuals in what has been a most unfortunate time for ARC community. In my view you cannot blame anybody but everybody! To those Councillors I simply say you have a second chance before you face the electors in September 2021.

It has been privilege for me to serve as Interim Administrator and to experience being in such a wonderful part of our nation in the New England area. I thank those residents who have made me feel very welcome while undertaking what many see as a thankless task.

I have done my best and I wish you all well for the future.

(Viv May PSM)

Interim Administrator

Published on 09 Dec 2020