COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ESTABLISHED BY THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONERS MR TERRY MORAN AC (CHAIR) MS JUDE MUNRO AO MS FRANCES O’BRIEN QC MARCH 2016 Ordered to be published VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER April 2016 No 61 Session 2014–16 31 March 2016 Printed by Impact Digital – Brunswick AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ESTABLISHED BY THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL 3 Local Government Act 1989 ELECTORAL STRUCTURE OF GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL NOTE: By Order in Council made under Section 220Q(k) of the Local Government Act 1989, the boundaries of the wards of the Greater Geelong City Council are fixed as described in this plan. STAUGHTONSTAUGHTON VALEVALE Legend Ward Boundary Locality Boundary BALLIANGBALLIANG Map Symbols Freeway Main Road Collector Road Road Unsealed Road River/Creek Windermere Ward Railway Line Councillors: 1 Lake Parks and Reserves Proposed Drysdale Bypass LITTLELITTLE RIVERRIVER ANAKIEANAKIE LITTLELITTLE RIVERRIVER POINTPOINT WILSONWILSON LARALARA LOVELYLOVELY BANKSBANKS SeeSee InsetInset MapMap MOORABOOL CORIOCORIO Cowie Ward Corio Ward Councillors: 1 Councillors: 1 NORTH GEELONG PORTARLINGTONPORTARLINGTON Brownbill Ward INDENTEDINDENTED Kildare Ward Councillors: 1 BELLARINEBELLARINE Councillors: 1 HEAD Councillors: 1 CLIFTONCLIFTON GEELONG CLIFTONCLIFTON Coryule Ward SPRINGSSPRINGS RoadRoad ReserveReserve BeaconBeacon PointPoint RdRd Councillors: 1 Geelong-Geelong- BayBay ShoreShore AvAv BarwonBarwon NEWCOMB BayBay ShoreShore AvAv PortarlingtonPortarlington RdRd RiverRiver BellarineBellarine HwyHwy Whitcombes Rd CliftonClifton AvAv DRYSDALE ProposedProposed DrysdaleDrysdale Kardinia Ward CURLEWISCURLEWIS DRYSDALE Austin Ward BypassBypass Councillors: 1 STST LEONARDSLEONARDS LEOPOLDLEOPOLD Deakin Ward Councillors: 1 AAnn Councillors: 1 HoaresHoares LaLa AAnnddeerrrssoonn HoaresHoares LaLa oonnss RRdd Councillors: 1 Cheetham Ward MoolapMoolap // LeopoldLeopold yyy yyy LocalityLocality BoundaryBoundary Councillors: 1 yyy LocalityLocality BoundaryBoundary Councillors: 1 aaa GROVEDALE LocalityLocality BoundaryBoundary Councillors: 1 aaa GROVEDALE aaa GROVEDALE ReedyReedy Wildlife Reserve ReedyReedy www ReedyReedy www www l l l l l l l l l MANNERIM i i i MANNERIM i i i BarwonBarwon i i i BoundaryBoundary aaa BoundaryBoundary LakeLake aaa LakeLake aaa RRR WAURN PONDS R WAURN PONDS R R WAURN PONDS R WAURN PONDS RiverRiver RR RiverRiver BellarineBellarine HwyHwy ConnewarreConnewarre BellarineBellarine HwyHwy LakeLake AngleseaAnglesea RdRd WALLINGTON Beangala Ward Buckley Ward MARCUS HILL Wallington / Ocean Grove MOUNT Wallington / Ocean Grove Councillors: 1 Councillors: 1 LocalityLocality BoundaryBoundary DUNEED GrubbGrubb RdRd BanksBanks RdRd SWANSWAN BAYBAY NatureNature ReserveReserve BoundaryBoundary CONNEWARRECONNEWARRE NatureNature ReserveReserve BoundaryBoundary Wallington-Ocean 0 5 10 GroveGrove RdRd 0 5 10 BarwonBarwon OCEAN GROVE RiverRiver POINTPOINT LONSDALELONSDALE kilometres BARWONBARWON HEADSHEADS BREAMLEABREAMLEA Electoral Structure of I hereby certify that the electoral boundaries shown on this map have been aligned to the VicMap property grid to represent those boundaries as presented in the Electoral Greater Geelong City Council Representation Review Final Report for Greater Geelong City Council, submitted to the Minister for Local Government on 12 May, 2008. LEGL./07-342 MapMap preparedprepared byby thethe VictorianVictorian ElectoralElectoral CommissionCommission VicmapVicmapVicmap spatialspatialspatial datadatadata providedprovidedprovided bybyby DepartmentDepartmentDepartment ofofof SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability anananddd EnvironmentEnvironmentEnvironment ParksParksParks digitaldigitaldigital datadatadata usedusedused withwithwith thethethe permissionpermissionpermission ofofof ParksParksParks VictoriaVictoriaVictoria s CopyrightCopyrightCopyright ©©© 200820082008 --- StateStateState GovernmentGovernmentGovernment VictoriaVictoriaVictoria Steven Tully, Electoral Commissioner Map 1 of 2 Disclaimer:Disclaimer:Disclaimer: ThisThisThis contentcontentcontent isisis providedprovidedprovided forforfor informationinformationinformation purposespurposespurposes ooonly.nly.nly. WhileWhileWhile everyeveryevery effortefforteffort hashashas beenbeenbeen mademademade tototo ensureensureensure accuracyaccuracyaccuracy andandand authenticityauthenticityauthenticity ofofof thethethe content,content,content, thethethe VictorianVictorianVictorian GovernmentGovernmentGovernment doesdoesdoes notnotnot acceptacceptaccept anyanyany liabilityliabilityliability tototo anyanyany personpersonperson forforfor thethethe informationinformationinformation provprovproviidedidedded 4 COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ESTABLISHED BY THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 31 March 2016 Hon Natalie Hutchins MP Minister for Local Government 1 Spring Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Dear Minister In accordance with the Terms of Reference, the Report of the independent Commission of Inquiry into Greater Geelong City Council (Commission) is submitted for your consideration. For the purpose of evaluating the Greater Geelong City Council in a context defined by the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, the Commission developed a framework for good governance. The outcomes of the framework reflect the objects in the Local Government Act 1989; the policies, procedures, systems, guidelines and frameworks reflect the work of the Commission and officers from the Secretariat; the principles have been taken from the Good Governance Guide 2013 developed by the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA), Local Government Victoria (LGV) and Local Government Professionals (LGPro), with greater emphasis on diversity and trust; and the performance indicators are illustrative only and prepared by a consultant for the Commission based on the City of Sydney’s Community Indicators Framework. Consistent with the Terms of Reference the report includes: • An examination of the roles and responsibilities at all levels within the City of Greater Geelong Council (Council) and whether sufficient clarity exists to ensure good governance; • An analysis of whether, in delivering services to its constituents, Council governance arrangements are efficient and effective; • An exploration of the relationship between matters contained in and the findings of the Workplace Cultural Review and governance arrangements of the Council; and • An investigation of other relevant factors impeding the Council’s ability to provide good government to its constituents. The Commission’s Report has been prepared following a series of public and private hearings, an invitation to the Greater Geelong community to submit written submissions for the Commission’s consideration, a series of workshops with staff from Council and an extensive review of relevant documents provided to the Commission during the course of the inquiry. The report provides recommendations to restore the good governance of, and the strategic direction required to secure a prosperous future for, the greater Geelong community. The restoration of good council governance and the development of a unified strategic plan, provide a stable foundation for building a positive and inclusive culture, effective leadership and quality service delivery. The Commission would like to acknowledge the work of and thank its Secretariat and specialist support and advice staff for an outstanding contribution towards the preparation of the report in a prompt, competent and thorough manner. The Commissioners would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for being appointed to undertake this very important task. Yours sincerely, Mr Terry Moran AC Ms Jude Munro AO Ms Frances O’Brien QC Commissioner Chair Commissioner Commissioner COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL 5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1989 3C OBJECTIVES OF A COUNCIL 1) The primary objective of a Council is to endeavour to achieve the best outcomes for the local community having regard to the long term and cumulative effects of decisions. 2) In seeking to achieve its primary objective, a Council must have regard to the following facilitating objectives— a) to promote the social, economic and environmental viability and sustainability of the municipal district; b) to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively and services are provided in accordance with the Best Value Principles to best meet the needs of the local community; c) to improve the overall quality of life of people in the local community; d) to promote appropriate business and employment opportunities; e) to ensure that services and facilities provided by the Council are accessible and equitable; f) to ensure the equitable imposition of rates and charges; g) to ensure transparency and accountability in Council decision making. 3D WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A COUNCIL? 1) A Council is elected to provide leadership for the good governance of the municipal district and the local community. 2) The role of a Council includes— a) acting as a representative government by taking into account the diverse needs of the local community in decision making; b) providing leadership by establishing strategic objectives and monitoring their achievement; c) maintaining the viability of the Council