Longreach Regional Council Achieving Together

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Longreach Regional Council Achieving Together

• The Good, Bad and Ugly of Amalgamations
• Michelle McFadyen
• LGMA Conference 2008

2
The Past - Longreach

• Longreach Shire Council
• 23,561sq km
• Population 4,001
• Staff 130
• Undivided 9 Councillors plus Mayor
• Operating Revenue 13.9m
• Annual CAPEX 7.2m

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The Past - Ilfracombe

• Ilfracombe Shire Council
• 6,576sq km
• Population 362
• Staff 30
• Undivided 6 Councillors plus Mayor
• Operating Revenue 4.1m
• Annual CAPEX 1.1m

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The Past - Isisford

• Isisford Shire Council
• 10,501sq km
• Population 301
• Staff 40
• Undivided 6 Councillors plus Mayor
• Operating Revenue 4.3m
• Annual CAPEX 5.7m

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Reaction to Amalgamation

• Longreach
• Little interest from community
• Council against forced amalgamation
• Few concerns amongst staff
• Ilfracombe and Isisford
• Community anger
• Staff fearful and angry (loss of
  job/autonomy/Longreach takeover)
• Councils against forced amalgamation

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Reaction to Amalgmation

• RAPAD coordinated fight against amalgamation
• 18 councils
• Well coordinated effort

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LTC Structure

• Longreach Shire Interim CEO
• Isisford Chairperson
• Functional Organisational Structure (Corp Svcs,
  Finance, Infrastructure and Community Svcs) all
  based in Longreach with CEO
• Co-operative (generally.)

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The NEW Council

• 40,638sq km
• Population 4,664
• Staff 200
• Divided 6 Councillors plus Mayor
• Operating Revenue 28m (2008/9)
• Annual CAPEX 30m (2008/9)

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The GOOD!

• Making the hard calls early
• Interim CEO taking the heat
• Interim CEO - setting us up
• Recruitment of professionals/specialists
• Shared resources
• Shared personnel
• Best practice mentality (Best in the West)

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The GOOD! Cont

• Acceptors morale lifting
• Tackling the EBA process straight away
• Acceptance of re-branding
• Acceptance of new council as being regionally
  focused
• Utilising Best of from each council
• Career Opportunities

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The BAD!

• Making the hard calls early
• EBA early on
• Increased workloads all things to all people
• Feelings of being taken over by Longreach
• What happened to the fight?

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The BAD! Cont

• Them Vs Us
• Feelings of loss by Ilfracombe and Isisford
  Councils
• Costs of amalgamation
• Increased community expectations

13
The UGLY!

• Interim CEO taking the heat
• Passive resisters disease spreading
• Resentment
• Impact on some individuals

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Unique Challenges

• Full time Mayor (and a new to LG)
• More highly paid Councillors
• How to productively harness their enthusiasm?
• Separation of Powers
• Large region to service
• 4 Communities to service

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Where are we now?

• Structure in place and filled
• Corporate Plan
• Weekly Director Meetings
• Monthly Coordination Meetings
• Ongoing training
• Workgroups being brought together
• Mayor/CEO/Directors visits to other branches
  regularly work from other offices
• Council meetings in all towns

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Where are we heading?

• Best in the West
• Best Practice Local Government
• Employer of Choice

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My Learnings!

• Things work out the best for those who make the
  best of the way things work out
• There is no elevator you have to take the
  stairs every one of them
• Stay tuned..more learning to come Im sure!!