I have received the final report from the municipal monitor appointed to the Darebin City Council.
I acknowledge the extensive work completed by the monitor John Watson between April 2022 and January 2023.
Following Mr Watson’s work, the Darebin City Council has provided the Andrews Labor Government with a Good Governance Action Plan outlining how it will improve governance practices by supporting cultural change and professional development to improve councillor performance.
I am pleased to see that the findings highlight positive changes in the council’s performance, while acknowledging areas for further improvement. This includes encouraging the council to:
- Submit financial statements, projections and an action plan to address the financial sustainability issues contained in the final report
- Compile a plan to address prioritising investment in information technology and suitable staff accommodation
- Produce quarterly reports on the implementation of the Good Governance Action Plan until the actions contained in the plan are complete.
I thank Mr Watson for contributing his expertise and time to this important role, and to the Darebin City Council for the co-operative manner in which it worked with the monitor. I believe the council is now in a position to provide strong, positive leadership for the community.
The report is available at localgovernment.vic.gov.au/council-governance/independent-reports.
