Focus On... Administration & Management Systems

• Streamlining access
  George Town Council Mayor Roger Broomhall and Member for Bass Geoff Lyons last month launched the Council’s Electronic Development Application and Building Application (eDABA) Portal to the George Town community.
• East Arnhem Shire Council delivers savings
  East Arnhem Shire Council (EASC) has delivered over $1.1 million in savings and received a commendation in the 2013 National Awards for Local Government in regional collaborations for the creation of the shared corporate services organisation, Latitude 12.
• Future Directions
  From Matt Gray Manager IT Infrastructure and Mike Tidey Director Corporate Services, Launceston City Council, Tasmania
• Celebration of a community’s resilience
  Maranoa Council, emergency services and community groups recently celebrated the resilience of the Roma community on the anniversary of the 2011 floods, with the unveiling of the town’s new Celebration Stones.
  
  
• New CALD Careers program launched
  The City of Ballarat has launched a new service to assist Ballarat’s multicultural community in finding employment and vocational opportunities.
• Community Centre opens
  Bell residents have celebrated the official opening of the new $1.2 million Bell Bunya Community Centre.
• New ShoreTel Dock Transforms iPad and iPhone Into Desk Phone*
  Introducing the new ShoreTel Dock, the industry’s first business-grade docking station that transforms smartphones and tablets into desk phones for the mobile generation. This industry-first hardware solution combined with ShoreTel’s mobility application will optimise how people use their iPhones and iPads for work – giving a new meaning to Bring your own device (BYOD).
• Sporting clubs’ contribution worth $1.5 million
  Southern Downs Regional Council’s Economic Development Unit and Morgan Park sporting clubs have welcomed an offer from the Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning to utilise their Senior Economist, Rod Strahan, to complete an economic assessment of Morgan Park sporting activities.
• Strathbogie a mobile shire
  The Strathbogie Shire Council is making effective use of industry-based applications and available technologies to expand its face-to-face customer services to townships.
• Swan Hill steps towards Economic Development Strategy
  Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Economic Development Strategy has moved closer towards implementation with the announcement that Workforce Planning Australia has been awarded the contract to oversee the Swan Hill Region Workforce Development Strategy.
• Regional Victoria crucial to State’s prosperity
  Members of Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) recently met with Premier Dennis Naphthine, with the role of regional Victoria in the State’s prosperity top of the agenda.
• Water Alliance celebrating collaboration
  The Cairns, Townsville, Mackay (CTM) Water Alliance has won the Collaboration Award at the recent Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) 2013 Awards for Excellence.
  
  
• MobileMuster Awards
  MobileMuster, the Australian Mobile Telecommunication Association’s official recycling program, is calling on local councils who have helped promote the program and collect mobile phones for recycling over the last year to nominate for the 2013 MobileMuster Local Government Awards.
• Hawthorn Town Hall redevelopment
  Peddle Thorp design director Peter Brook said the refurbishment of the Hawthorn Town Hall will help preserve the past and protect the future.
• Category winners in National Awards for Local Government
  Eighteen of the nation’s 565 councils and shires have been declared category winners in this year’s National Awards for Local Government.
  
• Base systems change on evidence*
  As consultants QRMC observes a great many organisational change management processes. Some are done well, accomplish management and staff buy-in, and ultimately achieve the anticipated outcomes. Others founder on the rocks of rejection, confusion and frustration, resulting in a waste of the resources dedicated to the process, and an unwillingness to explore new horizons in the future.
  
  
• Getting grant administration right*
  Has Council seen words like these in a letter or email from a Commonwealth Department?
• Introducing smart, cost effective recruitment*
  When recruiting a new staff member, it is important to look at the full scale of costs to a local council.