January 21st, 2022Your say on council culture

The Local Government sector and community members are invited to have their say on the Local Government Culture Project Discussion Paper.
The Andrews Labor Government commissioned the Local Government Culture Project earlier this year and the paper, released today, will guide discussions about practical methods to improve culture at Victorian councils.
Three main themes have been identified for discussion including ‘role, responsibilities and supporting mechanisms’, ‘councillor journey’ and ‘dispute resolution and resolving conflict’.
The Local Government Culture Project will promote a more positive environment at councils, create more representative councils, improve governance and enhance public trust.
This work has been undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in partnership with eminent academics Professor Graham Sansom, Adjunct Professor at University of Technology Sydney, and Professor Anona Armstrong AM, Emeritus Professor at the Victoria University College of Law and Justice.
Feedback on the discussion paper is open until 28 February 2022. To read the discussion paper and make a submission visit localgovernment.vic.gov.au.
Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane: “Victorians deserve the best from their elected representatives, and this is an opportunity for the local government sector to work towards improving the culture of councils across the state so that they can best serve their communities.
“Councils do not get enough credit for the great work they do in their communities, sadly the poor behaviour of a few can taint the whole sector if not properly addressed.
“I invite members of the sector and the community to have their say as part of this project to help strengthen councils and build a sector we can all be proud of.”