The Victorian Government is currently undertaking a review of the Local Government Act and it has appointed a Local Government Act Review Advisory Committee to assist with the task. It has invited public submissions which close next Friday 18 December. We strongly recommend that you make a submission to the review to register your concerns and to ask that the Local Government Act be amended to ensure that Glen Eira City Council is compelled to be a far more transparent and accountable institution.
With less than a week to go before submissions close, this Council is up to its old tricks. No formal resolution endorsing a submission; no submission made public and no discussion in chamber. Needless to say this is not how other councils are doing things – Bayside, Stonnington, etc. Whatever Glen Eira is submitting has been decided behind closed doors. This is one very good reason why the Act needs reforming.
Here are some suggestions to consider:
The Local Government Act should make it mandatory that:
- All councils have Notice of Motion
- All councils have ‘dissent from the chair’
- All councils adhere to regular rotation of Audit Committee membership and council committee membership
- All councils present live broadcasts of meetings
- All councils publish agendas and full minutes for advisory committee meetings and that these meetings be open to the public
- All CEO positions be advertised
- No CEO be appointed for more than 2 consecutive contracts (ie a limit of ten years)
- Staff Code of Conduct be published
- Key Performance Indicators for CEO and senior staff be made public
- Minutes to include how each councillor voted
- The provision of open, timely and evidence based public consultation on major issues, including the public work shopping of significant issues
- Community representation on all advisory committees
- Public questions answered by individual councillors at start of meetings if question addressed to them
- Ensure that budgets reflect community views
We are sure you will be aware of many other instances of systemic Council failure which can and should be remedied by appropriate reform of the Local Government Act. Please do so to assist to give the necessary weight to the changes we need in Glen Eira.
Your submission can be made through the Local Government Act review website at http://www.yourcouncilyourcommunity.vic.gov.au/submission or by post to Local Government Victoria, PO Box 500, Melbourne, VIC 3000, by no later than Friday 18 December 2015. Submitting through the website requires you to log in.
Alternatively (and you may find this easiest) simply send an email to hannah.wood@dewlp.vic.gov.au and clearly mark your submission for the attention of the Local Government Act Review Advisory Committee. Note: each submission is to be released publicly unless the submitter requests that it be withheld.
Glen Eira Debates 
December 13, 2015 at 1:42 PM
Yes get stuck into this reform process, electing councillors in Glen Eira that have no powers to place anything on the agenda, is dark ages stuff, we elect councillors to basically rubber stamp the CEO’s hand written agenda.
Uncovering any corruption with bureaucrats having the sole right of what can or cannot be discussed in the council chamber is just plain wrong and well impossible.
Note:- Glen Eira is the only council in Victoria, and who know possibly Australia that does not have this “notice of Motion” powers in our local laws.
As resident you are being robbed of a vital democratic right, no hints on who removed this from our local law when becoming CEO and no hints at the conservative Liberal party bullies that supported its removal.
December 13, 2015 at 5:25 PM
Delahunty for some curious reason is on the advisory committee. Could be a tad uncomfortable for her. Hope so.
December 14, 2015 at 7:43 AM
Delahunty likes to live dangerously. She has a chance to clean GECC. Hope she is wise enough and does not play political games that she is found off. Mary please put a stop to manipulations.
December 13, 2015 at 5:26 PM
Well read people like, Smart Alec, D. Evans, the intelligent moderator of this fantastic forum who knows Glen Eira Council inside out and other, should push changed to all the acts or hold your peace.
December 13, 2015 at 6:22 PM
The local government act is totally skewed in favour of officers. Most of it is directed towards councillors and practically nothing is there to stop the kind of unethical behaviour of officers. That has to change. What’s good for the goose should be doubly good for the newtons and burkes of this world. They have to be made accountable as much as councillors are.
December 13, 2015 at 11:23 PM
They bureaucrats could could be a lot more accountable, if we didn’t have cowards as councillors. The 90 grand prize for becoming mayor keeps most councillor eating out of the hand of the CEO. Deal Willing is a prime example of such a sell-out suck.