Policy Development Framework
Remarkable as it may seem, even with the thicket of policies that every council works with, or under, a systematic approach to developing policies has rarely been looked at in detail. At Port Phillip Council in Victoria, a framework has been developed to provide a systematic approach to creating policy. Using the framework, even staff who have never developed a policy before were able to go through the process step by step.
They are also better able to assist citizens when they contact Council to find what out the policy is on various issues. This saved valuable time.
Port Phillip’s Lisel Thomas from the Governance Projects Unit said from the staff reaction it is clear that the Policy Development Framework has improved organisational performance. She said the framework also indirectly improved employee morale, along with service delivery to the community and, hopefully, it will increase levels of community satisfaction.
“The framework should establish patterns of cooperation and communication that provide for a more effective use of resources and more efficient services,” Lisel Thomas said.
For more details contact Lisel Thomas on (03) 9209 6506.
