Igniting local passion We’ve talked recently about the critical role of local government when regional towns are in decline, but civic leadership doesn’t need to wait for a crisis. People’s passion for a place is...
How does your community connect vision and projects? Let’s face it, most community members do not know or care what you think their vision is. Or what their priorities are. They don’t think it makes...
The challenge We know what the vicious cycle of decline looks like. Employment opportunities reduce (say, through agricultural consolidation and automation), then the population declines, fewer services are available (in both the public and private...
So much to do, so little time! In 1989, amalgamations in New Zealand saw approximately 700 local bodies become 87. I was the CEO responsible for the amalgamation of four local governments in the West of metropolitan Auckland....
The crunch point How often do we hear the glib comment that communities are expecting more but are less prepared to pay? Local governments tend not to shut up shop so what does this actually...
A web of services Local governments don’t fit neatly into boxes and lines. It is hard to think of another organisation with the diversity of services and interests of a local government. Diverse, yet interconnected....
Recruiting the CEO There is no doubt who’s in charge of high performing local governments. It is the elected Council. The elected members set the vision and strategy. They hold their CEO to account for...
ACELG has recently released an excellent report on the use of debt by Australian local government, Debt is Not a Dirty Word: The Role and Use of Debt in Local Government. There is a compelling...
Nice one Tweed Shire Council. They wanted feedback on their draft Economic Development Strategy from the business community so what did they do? Knocked on their doors and asked them.
Ultimately the most effective city policies and projects focused on moving towards a low carbon economy are those that are locally tailored and make good economic as well as environmental sense. Strategic intent to reduce...