Council under watch of Monitor STRATHBOGIE Shire Council will come under the watchful eye of an administrator for the next 12 months as acknowledge by the new council at its December meeting. Following a year of administration and the subsequent election of a new council in October, the Minister for Local Government has advised Strathbogie Council notice of the appointment of Ms Marg Allan as Municipal Monitor. Ms Allan has considerable experience in both State and Local Government. She is a member of the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission and was a Municipal Monitor at Moira Shire Council. The period of the appointment is from November 6, 2024 to November 6, 2025 (both dates inclusive). It is anticipated that the appointment will require an average commitment of at least 2-3 days of work per week for this period. Ms Allan has considerable experience and expertise in both local and state government and is highly regarded. The official appointment was acknowledged at the December meeting of council held last week. This follows on from the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Melissa Horne MP, announcing on December 5, 2023 the suspension of the Strathbogie Shire Council for the remainder of its 2000-2024 term and an interim administrator was appointed in response to Municipal Monitor Peter Stephenson’s final report. The Minister made the decision to suspend the Council after considering the responses received from the Council and individual Councilors. The Minister’s announcement in September (2024) was that a Municipal Monitor would be appointed to support the transition back to elected Councilors and ensure good governance practices. The Monitor’s Terms of Reference include monitoring the governance processes and practices of the Council, with specific regard to the following matters: a. the Councilors’ understanding and performance of their statutory roles and responsibilities, including the adequacy of the Council’s Councilor induction training program and professional development training, b. the Council’s meeting procedures and decision-making processes, including attendance at briefings and Council meetings, and the adequacy of the Governance Rules, c. the relationships between councilors, including councilor behaviour with respect to the Model Councilor Code of Conduct and processes for resolving disputes between councilors, d. the Council’s policies, processes and practices related to the recruitment, appointment, and proposed employment conditions of an ongoing Chief Executive Officer, including the establishment of an effective working relationship between the interim and the ongoing Chief Executive Officer and the councilors, e. the Council’s policies and practices that manage the interactions between Councilors and Council staff and contractors, and compliance with those policies and practices, f. the Council’s asset management practices, including its ability to meet current and future infrastructure and asset needs of the community, and g. any other matters that may affect the Council’s ability to effectively perform its functions, including councilor behaviour that is creating a serious risk to health and safety or preventing the Council from performing its functions. 2. To advise and provide any relevant assistance and support to the Council to ensure good governance, with specific regard to the matters raised in clause 1. 3. To assist the Council to develop an Action Plan and progress updates for any necessary governance improvements, with specific regard to the matters raised in clause 1. 4. To report to the Minister for Local Government, with respect to the matters in clause 1, on: a. any steps or actions taken by the Council to improve its governance and the effectiveness of those steps or actions b. any recommendations in relation to the exercise of any Ministerial power under the Act. One of the overarching governance principles in section 9 of the Local Government Act 2020 is that the municipal community is to be engaged in strategic planning and strategic decision making.
