Mayor's Message 8 December 2023

Hello everyone,

This week we learned that yet another Victorian Council has been stood-down for failing to provide good governance.

Strathbogie Shire Council has been suspended for the remainder of its term, following a Municipal Monitor’s report which showed the council had failed to address governance issues identified by a previous monitor, including a lack of understanding of the role of a councillor.

While this is a disappointing outcome that reflects poorly on the local government sector, it is pleasing and reassuring that the Victorian State Government is taking such a strong stance on improving accountability, governance and culture across the state.

New legislation will be introduced early next year that will elevate governance and integrity standards for all councils, with reforms including mandatory training for elected representatives, a uniform councillor code of conduct and strengthened powers for the Minister to address councillor conduct.

Indigo Shire has always taken its obligations around good governance very seriously. We have implemented a number of new policies and procedures since the new Local Government Act was introduced in 2020 which ensure that we are not only compliant, but also committed to the highest levels of transparency and accountability.

Next week will be Council’s last meeting for 2023. When we resume in February 2024, it will be the final year of the current Council term. Our focus will be on continuing to deliver on our Council Plan priorities and seeing a number of important projects reach fruition.

As we head into the festive season, it’s great to see so many school and community events underway. I’m really enjoying getting out and about and celebrating with community members, which is a wonderful reminder of how special Indigo Shire is.

Enjoy your weekend and take care.

Cr Sophie Price