An emerging issue for learning and development in Council?
By Richard Perrin *
The role of Local Government, beyond the provision of community services to their citizens, is becoming a contentious issue. While it has always been taken for granted that Local Governments control and are involved with a wide range of community and social issues, more and more, there seems an emphasis on corporatisation, that is undertaking activities which achieve a return on capital, add value or which generate a positive cash flow and so forth.
Nevertheless, if corporatisation is the holy grail of the modern Local Government organisation, the ‘corporate’ skills and knowledge of employees within Councils are still somewhat deficient (as identified during Phase 1 of the review of the Local Government Training Package).
This situation does not seem likely to improve in the near future, with restrictive factors including the following:
- limited learning and development budgets
- a deterioration in the benefits of Local Government employment
- change
- organisational culture and values
- a general down turn in economic conditions
- politics.
Given this, it seems that there is still considerable scope for public discussion on how Councils can be actively engaged with major corporations, in addressing and resolving significant community issues, and more specifically, through learning and development. Before this can occur, Local Government will need to integrate a formal approach to corporatisation. Likewise, corporations will need to have community engagement built into their strategic and operational frameworks. A specific role for learning and development will also need to be identified as part of this.
Corporatisation in Local Government might then be defined as a genuine commitment to meeting the needs and expectations of Council employees, citizens, and communities. The process of corporatisation also needs to be accepted as central to a Council’s values and integral for long term growth and prosperity. Also, while the attitude of citizens to the value and quality of Local Government services is often mixed, clear benchmark measures and objectives will need to be set to establish effectiveness.
The objectives of any mutual charter agreement with a large corporation might include the following:
- increase understanding of all Council (and company) employees, about behaviour and values that are consistent with being a corporation;
- ensuring that the behaviour of companies engaged is consistent with that generally acknowledged by the community at large to be socially responsible;
- some specific transfer of knowledge, skills, and abilities;
- some specific sharing of resources;
- a formal demarcation of roles and responsibilities;
- a process that will generate community spirit and community satisfaction.
Benchmark measures could be established in finance and accounting, human resource policies and procedures, ommunications and marketing, customer service, corporate strategy and support, and information management and technology.
Companies engaged by Local Governments may also be asked to contribute to Council business plans and annual reports. This will provide a specific framework within which companies could conduct community relations, investment and general sponsorship activities.
Corporate partnering does not require the channeling of Local Government resources – both capital and people – into programs designed to maintain, augment or replace corporate activities. Instead, it requires the development of a process to enable Local Governments, the corporate sector and the community to collectively work towards the resolution of major social issues. Learning and development will play a critical part.
Community priorities might include shelters, community education and training, substance abuse and domestic violence.
These issues do not overlook the significant progress Local Governments have already made. However, there may still be opportunities to achieve more in terms of resources. Specific initiatives might also include employee outreach activities and investment and sponsorships.
* Richard Perrin is the Learning and Development Officer at Campbelltown City Council
