2017-03-13 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                     13 MARCH 2017


They cover diverse topics such as asset management, stormwater management, Transport
Strategy, Peregian Beach Digital Hub, new Planning Scheme etc and these type of cross
Department working groups will continue. Our current approach is working well and making sure
that silos don’t develop.

It is intended to establish one more such group following a review of the organisational structure.
The new issue to be addressed by a cross Department working group is the issue of “place
making”. This concept has been done informally to this point but the need to have a more
structured and focused approach has arisen during the organisational review process.

In the organisational structure, it is proposed that the responsibility to manage place making will lie
with the Infrastructure Planning, Design & Delivery Branch. Their role is to lead the establishment
a working group that brings together different skill sets within Council to look at particular areas
across our shire from a place making perspective. Place making is all about bringing together a
multi-faceted team with different skills to look at planning, design and management of (usually)
public spaces. For example, a place making team could bring together designers, planners,
engineers, landscaping experts and even other skills such as staff from community development,
arts and economic development areas. Place making also usually involves extensive community
engagement.

This report on the organisational structure is not intended to be a detailed analysis of how place
making should work or how we can apply place making practices in the future. It is simply
highlighted on the basis that it was gap that was identified through the consultation process on the
new organisational structure and the issue now has a “home” through the allocation of functions
by Branch. The Infrastructure Planning, Design & Delivery Branch will take the lead in advancing
the concept and establishing appropriate a cross Council working group on the issue.

5.    Adoption of Organisational Structure

Pursuant to section 196 of the Local Government Act, the organisational structure is adopted by
Council. It cannot delegate that power under the Local Government Act.

It is intended to adopt the organisational structure to Branch level identifying the staff resources
and general functions which apply to each Branch. This ensures that there is the right balance
between fixing the structure and resources to deliver the various Council activities while also
retaining some flexibility within each Branch to organise staff in the most efficient way. This is
consistent with how our Council has adopted the organisational structure in the past.

Also as a reminder, it is intended to continue to re-adopt our structure each year as part of our
annual operational plan and budget process. This allows us to fine tune the structure each year if
needed and include any changes to employee numbers included as part of the annual budget
process.

6.    Acting Chief Executive Officer

One of the issues arising from a review of the structure is the need to put in place arrangements
for an Acting CEO when I am away on annual leave etc. Section 195 of the Local Government Act
provides that the Council may appoint someone with suitable qualifications to act in the role of
CEO when the CEO is absent. Previously, the Council had appointed the former Director of
Infrastructure and Planning to act as CEO during any absences.

Given the proposed change to the structure, it is timely to revisit the appointment an acting CEO.
I would like the opportunity to rotate the Acting CEO role to give all Directors experience in that
role. This would be desirable both from a professional development perspective for the individual
Directors and also to match the Acting CEO role with specific issues that Council may be
addressing when I am on annual leave.

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