CITIZEN TO COUNCILLOR CANDIDATE INFORMATION SESSION What is - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CITIZEN TO COUNCILLOR

CANDIDATE INFORMATION SESSION

What is expected of a Councillor?

Holding public office such as Councillor is a special privilege, where you represent your citizens in what can be described as the “Parliament of Your Shire”. It is an important role that needs to be viewed as such; as citizens we rightly have high expectations

• f Councillors and the Council organisation.

Council (Councillor) Roles

People ask Councillors to represent them on particular issues Duty to Council and its staff, and the community at large

All roles serve community interest

Board of Directors Planning Authority Democratic Representation Formal role under P&E Act in determining planning applications and managing the effectiveness of the Planning Scheme

Who is the Customer?

An important principle for Councillors is serving the community. This focus has a number of dimensions that Councillors need to keep in mind.

Customer or Citizen Individual and Community Today and Tomorrow Council Legal Liability Commercial Relationships

CEO and Councillors

Different but interdependent roles:

• Councillors need organisation to deliver outcomes
• CEO needs support from Council to do just that

Councillors

Community

Chief Executive

Organisation

Strategic Direction

10 Year Plan

• Community Plan
• Asset Plan
• Financial Plan

4 Year Council Plan (cross-term timing) Annual Budget LG Act Review

Community Expectations

1.

Honest and ethical

2.

Competent and responsible

3.

Open and accountable

4.

Communication skills

5.

Consider whole municipality

6.

Able to work as a team

7.

Willing to listen and learn

8.

Challenging yet constructive

Underpinned by Local Governm ent Act and Com m on Law

Councillor Advice

1.

About serving the community

2.

Not based on any single issue

3.

Stay at strategic level; leave operations to CEO

4.

Officers are in their workplace

5.

Hold other Councillors accountable; difficult for CEO

6.

Seek to understand before over committing

7.

Raise issues in private, support in public

8.

Help the CEO to build the Council we all need

Being a Councillor is a rich and rew arding experience