YOUR COUNCIL

Councillors

At the Local Government Election held on Saturday 4 December 2021, the following Councillors were elected to represent Moree Plains:

• Cr Mekayla Cochrane • Cr Murray Hartin • Cr Kelly James • Cr Mark Johnson • Cr Mike Montgomery • Cr Lisa Orchin • Cr Susannah Pearse • Cr Brooke Sauer • Cr Greg Smith

At the first meeting of the new Council, Cr Mark Johnson was elected as Mayor and Cr Susannah Pearse as Deputy Mayor. Councillors elect a Mayor every two years.

Local government elections are usually held every four years, however, due to COVID-19, the September 2020 elections were postponed by one year. The rescheduled local government election for 2021 was further postponed by COVID-19 and the election was finally held on 4 December 2021.

To allow the election cycle for local government to return to its four-year cycle, the current term of Council will be for a period of two years and nine months.

Under the Local Government Act 1993, councillors have a responsibility to:

• Participate in the determination of the budget • Play a key role in the creation and review of Council policies, objectives and criteria relating to the regulatory functions • Review Council’s performance and the delivery of services, management plans and revenue policies.

Image: Moree Plains Shire Councillors (left to right): Cr Cochrane, Cr Sauer, Cr Pearse, Cr Smith, Cr Orchin, Cr Johnson, Cr Hartin, Cr James and Cr Montgomery

The General Manager leads the administrative arm of Moree Plains Shire Council. The General Manager is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the business and ensuring that the decisions of Council are implemented. The General Manager reports to the elected Council. The General Manager is supported by an executive team and staff. 274 Full Time Equivalents1 are budgeted for in 2022/23.

The organisational structure diagram will be included in final Delivery Program.

Functional areas

We provide a range of services across the Shire from waste and recycling collection to water supply, from libraries to parks and footpaths to playgrounds. Our services are divided into 19 functional areas. They are:

• Asset Management • Communication and Community Relations • Corporate Risk • Corporate Strategic Planning and Reporting • Corporate Support • Finance • Governance • Human Resources • Community Services and Education • Construction • Economic Affairs • Environment • Housing and Community Amenities • Public Health • Public Order and Safety • Recreation and Culture • Sewerage Services • Transport • Water Supplies

Service level reviews

Council has engaged external consultants, AEC group, to undertake a review of the services we provide. The review includes assessment of the current capacity and capability of organisational development regarding leadership, governance, performance, culture and structure.

AEC Group will use their findings to develop recommendations to improve across these areas. Review findings, including

which Council services are recommended for a detailed service level review with community, will be presented to Council on 2 June 2022 and incorporated into the final Delivery Program and Resourcing Strategies.

Image: Moree SAP funding announcement in March 2022 (left to right): Moree Plains Shire Councillors Deputy Mayor Susannah Pearse and Mayor Mark Johnson, Member for Parkes Mark Coulton MP, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall MP, and NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole

Council’s role

All levels of government, stakeholders, community organisations and individuals share responsibility for achieving our shared vision for the Moree Plains. However, Council takes a lead role in implementing the Delivery Program which sets out what activities Council will undertake over the next four years.

Council’s role in implementing the Delivery Program varies depending on the strategy being pursued:

Advocate

Council gives a voice to the community by lobbying and advocating to ensure major priorities are known and promoted to other decision-making organisations for the best possible outcomes for the Shire. Advocacy works best when we work together with community leaders and stakeholders to form a clear and united voice.

Leader

Council shows strong, transparent and visionary leadership. Council demonstrates excellence in everything we do, driving unity and mobilising and empowering others to help our community achieve our shared vision.

Partner

Council collaborates and joins forces with providers and stakeholders to bring best possible outcomes for the community to fruition.

Provider

Council effectively and efficiently delivers services, facilities and programs to community at agreed service levels. Some services in this Plan, such as education and health are provided by other government agencies but critical to achieving the community vision.

Regulator

Council has statutory responsibilities to regulate certain functions as required by state and federal legislation.

Our partners

As part of delivering on our strategies to achieve the community vision, we partner with a range of stakeholders including government representatives and agencies, private and not-for-profit organisations and Aboriginal and community groups. These stakeholders include but are not limited to:

• ARTC • Arts NSW • Australian Department of Health • Border Region of Councils (BROC) • Catholic Schools • Country University Centre North

West (CUC) • CSIRO • Destination NSW • Environmental Protection

Authority (EPA) • Heritage NSW • Hunter New England Health • Independent Planning and

Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) • Infrastructure NSW • Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) • Local Government NSW • Local Land Services (LLS) • Members of Parliament • Moree and District Chamber of

Commerce • Multicultural NSW • National Broadband Network (NBN) • New England Joint Organisation (NEJO) • NSW Ambulance • NSW Department of Education • NSW Department of Planning and

Environment • NSW Family and Community

Services • NSW Farmers Association • NSW Fire and Rescue • NSW Health • NSW Police • NSW Rural Doctors Network • Office of Environment and

Heritage (OEH) • Office of Local Government (OLG) • Office of the Valuer General • Qantas • Resilience NSW • NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) • Service NSW • State Emergency Service (SES) • TAFE NSW • Tourism Moree • Transport for NSW • University of New England (UNE) • Water NSW