“Warringah Council is very much at the forefront of change in the Sydney Metropolitan area,” said the Mayor, Councillor Sam Danieli. To meet National Competition Policy requirements, Council has recently carried out a restructure in preparation for an increase in competitive tendering.
The restructure has resulted in a flatter organisation and, in a first for New South Wales, a clear purchaser/provider split. Warringah now has three Directors rather than five, and eight Service Unit Managers replacing 24 former Branch Managers.
On its own, this reduction in senior staff positions has resulted in an annual saving of $1.5 million.
“Contracting out is not new at Warringah,” Councillor Danieli said. “For many years, our garbage services, construction and other engineering works have been carried out by contractors. In this climate of increased competition, Council has positioned itself to make the most of new opportunities, selecting what best suits our needs for optimum service delivery to the community.
“The key is that this move to competitive tendering is not compulsory. We have been able to look at Councils in New Zealand and Victoria and, in our own time, develop an approach best suited to our local needs that provides greatest efficiency.”
Throughout this reform process, Council has worked closely with Unions and all staff members to ensure everything is open and everyone is fully informed. Staff training has been an integral part of the process. This has not only equipped staff for the changes but increased their confidence and job satisfaction, particularly through multi skilling.
“It has been a very positive thing for staff providing greater empowerment or control over day to day operations and increased skills for improved career opportunities,” the Mayor said.
Benchmarking and quality assurance is now built into all strategic planning at Warringah. Similarly, Council’s General Manager, Directors and Service Unit Managers are all employed on performance based contracts.
