Printed below are extracts from the Municipal Association of Victoria’s (MAV) publication “Citizen to Councillor: A Guide for Prospective Councillors.” As previously requested, please feel free to assess each councillor against the following job specifications and give them a ranking out of 5 – either as an overall mark, or for each criterion.
- Councillors guide the development of local policies, set service standards and priorities and monitor the performance of the organisation. Other responsibilities of councillors include determining the financial strategy and budget, allocating resources, and liaising with other levels of government, the private sector and non-government community groups.
- A major task for councillors is to represent their constituents and advocate on their behalf on a wide range of issues.
- Councillors, both individually and collectively, are accountable to their community. They have a responsibility to respond to requests for information, be prepared to explain the reasons for their own or the council’s actions, and defend council proposals.
- The process of drawing up the Council Plan generally includes consultation with the community and enables councillors to influence the direction of the council.
- Councillors contribute to the review of the council’s planning scheme including the Municipal Strategic Statement, and actively participate in the development of local planning policies to form a sound strategic basis for decision making.
- Councillors provide an invaluable link between the community and council. A council should consult and engage its community and, in so doing, reflect the aspirations of that community.
Glen Eira Debates 
October 10, 2010 at 10:47 PM
From the latest ombudsman’s report – (page 9 – http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Ombudsmans_recommendations_-_Second_report_on_their_implementation.pdf
“In the case of some investigations where I have identified improper 12. conduct of councillors or other public officers, there has been some suggestion by those about whom I made adverse comments that they have been vindicated by the decisions taken by Victoria Police, the Municipal Inspector or other regulatory agencies not to prosecute. This is not the case. A decision to prosecute necessitates that the respective agency be satisfied that it will be able to satisfy a court beyond reasonable doubt that the events occurred. Such a decision not to prosecute does not mean that the individuals ‘did not do it’; rather that there is no reasonable prospect that guilt can be established to the criminal standard.
The fact that an agency does not prosecute does not demonstrate 14. vindication of those involved, nor does it call into question the merit of my conclusions. Rather, it reflects the differences in our respective roles and the different standards of proof that apply. It may also be an indicator of the commitment or otherwise agencies have to discharging their statutory enforcement responsibilities. In my annual report I noted that my investigations consistently identified deficiencies in the way agencies discharged their regulatory functions. To perform effectively, regulatory agencies require a clear understanding of their statutory duties and powers. It is apparent that in some situations agencies are either unaware of their responsibilities or their organisational cultures do not encourage enforcement action.
Awareness or management of conflict of interest matters, procurement practices, record-keeping and abuse of power by councillors and public officers remain areas of concern in the public sector.