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The First 100 Days is a plan to kick start the community consultation process and to establish the framework for active performance management of council service delivery.
Authorised by: David Wright 2 Orr St., Strathmore 3041
Community consultation – deep community consultation will focus the council on the needs of its residents and rate payers rather than the interests of the councillors or their political affiliates. There should be community consultation on all proposed social policies and infrastructure programs that are not part of council’s core services. And once this consultation is complete the majority community opinions should be determined either via surveys or direct polling, before the policy or program is implemented. Those policies / programs enjoying a majority response should be given to council for implementation – those policies / programs not enjoying a majority should be discontinued or abandoned.
For those policies / programs approved, appropriate KPI’s should be designed and benchmarks established so that the implementation of these policies / programs can be appropriately performance managed. On going core services provided by Council should similarly have KPI’s assigned and benchmarks established so that they too can be appropriately managed.
When council is elected it is given a mandate to provide all core services. It has no such mandate for non core services and so should seek a mandate from the residents.
1.1 Identify all non core policies and programs
1.2 Prepare arguments for and against continuing the policy / program including, where appropriate, cost / benefit analysis
1.3 Present the arguments for and against for each non core policy / program to the residents and invite feedback
1.4 Update the arguments for and against based on residents feedback
1.5 Using surveys or polls or both gauge community view as to whether the policy / program should be continued or abandoned
Note; in the first 100 days, the intention would be to complete tasks 1.1 and 1.2.
This is completely voluntary. Establish a mechanism whereby the residents can ‘vote’ or be surveyed on their views and opinions. There are several possibilities –
(i) Use the VEC voting role to establish eligible voters and then build / buy software that can use this role to invite residents to vote on issues
(ii) Use Council Watch polling software to gauge community views – this software would require participants to provide their email and ward. This software can also be used to broadcast issues affecting the city / ward (this will probably involve several letter box drops inviting residents to register)
This task would need to be completed by the CEO – Helen Sui. The task would involve
3.1 Identifying / assigning KPI’s to each council department
3.2 Setting benchmarks for each KPI.
3.3 Determining reporting frequency of actual performance vs benchmark
3.4 Assigning KPI’s to the CEO.
3.5 Councillors signing off the KPI’s, benchmarks and reporting frequency.
3.6 Agree the reporting package to be presented at each monthly council meeting.
Small business is the engine room of the economy and certainly a major contributor to life in the Airport Ward. Through direct door knocking every business in the Airport Ward will be asked how council can support their business. Their comments and suggestions will be collated and actions taken accordingly.
At the end of the 100 days, systems and processes should be in place to facilitate community consultation, voting rolls in place so that residents can decide which policies and programs will proceed (and which will not) and a framework with benchmarks established to performance manage the delivery of council services.
Note: Tasks 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 will most likely occur outside the 100 day time frame.
In the 2022-2023 Annual Report the council failed the consultation KPI. I would be looking to strengthen this consultation process.
Proposals outside of the council’s mandate should go through a very defined and rigorous process.
Example: Moreland Council recently changed its city name from Moreland to Merri-bec. There was nothing wrong with the proposal however the process totally lacked transparency and appropriate consultation with the community. The cost and inconvenience of the change was not clearly and accurately presented and only a small, biased survey was performed. I quite like the name Merri-bec. That is not my argument. My concern is that without due process the will of the majority of residents / rate payers may / may not have been followed.
The MVCC has signed up to the State Government’s 20- minute neighbourhood initiative. I have grave concerns about this initiative. Although on a cursory view the proposal sounds laudable, on closer inspection there are serious potential problems.
20 minute neighbourhoods are an urban planning concept where everything a resident needs can be accessed within a 20-minute journey (walking, riding bicycles, public transport). Sometimes they are referred to as 15 minute cities.
The following link provides an analysis of the pro’s and cons of the 20-minute neighbourhood.
My concerns are the emphasis placed on walking; bike riding and public transport and limiting the use of the automobile. The problems with this approach are:
Liveable Cities provide an amenable attractive environment, an abundance of public and green spaces; access to amenities; vibrance and culture; and convenient connection to other regions. They are build around the needs of the residents, not the ideology of the day.
Authorised by: David Wright 2 Orr St., Strathmore 3041