2023-02-13 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                               13 FEBRUARY 2023


6     ORGANISATIONAL REALIGNMENT NOOSA COUNCIL

Author            Chief Executive Officer, Scott Waters
                  CEO’s Office

Index             ECM/ Subject/ Corporate Planning

Attachments       1.    Nil

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In delivering the incoming CEO review and discussions across the organisation over the past year,
the realignment of functions and reporting lines within the Noosa Shire Council are seen as a high
priority.
The priority is twofold, firstly to improve service delivery to the community and secondly to address
direct report issues that have overloaded parts of the Director cohort. Prior to the incoming CEO’s
commencement a hybrid model splitting the Environment and Sustainable Development reporting
lines has been operating for the past 18 months. It is recommended that through this process it is
formalised and a Director of Compliance and Regulation role is created. As a result, the current
Director of Environment and Sustainable Development role is realigned to Director of Environment
and Strategy. In addition to formalising the department split through this process, the elevation of
strategic planning and climate change to deliver a future focused function within the structure is
recommended as a priority. To co-ordinate these amalgamated functions it is recommended that
a manager role of these is created. The creation of this role will place these functions in line with
environment and economic development manager roles and reduce the direct report burden to the
Director of Environment and Strategy.
The organisation’s structure currently has an Executive Services Department and a small allocation
of staff in the Office of the CEO. It is recommended that these functions are amalgamated to create
an Office of the Mayor, Councillors and CEO. To assist in the co-ordination of this department, a
temporary role is to be created for a maximum of 2 years. The Co-ordinator Office of Mayor,
Councillors and Chief Executive Officer will assist in the co-ordination of the CEO’s 7 departmental
direct reports, 5 Director direct reports, Mayor and Councillor support, as well as work with the
CEO in co-ordinating the requirements of the upcoming 2024 quadrennial elections. This will
include ECQ co-ordination, candidate request management and co-ordination as well as on-
boarding requirements for the next term of the Council. It is understood that a similar role has
previously sat within the organisational structure.
The recommendation to the Council for consideration will formalise the 3 new roles in the structure
and adopt a realigned organisation structure based on functions. The direct budget costs is
$500,000 - $520,000, including on costs, however this does not include the consultancy costs
associated with the hybrid model operating over the past 18 months at approximately $260,000 -
$270,000 per annum. Actual budget impact in relation to new and additional costs, will be an
additional $240,000 - $250,000 to the budget bottom line.
RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the General Committee Meeting
dated 13 February 2023 regarding the Organisational Realignment and:
A.    Approve the implementation of 3 new roles to the structure:
      1.    Director of Compliance and Regulation;
      2.    Manager of Strategic Planning and Climate Change; and



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