At the 2004 Local Government Managers Australia National Congress in Melbourne FOCUS invited delegates to nominate an individual or team from their Council who has excelled in meeting their Council’s and community’s needs. In this edition we showcase two more of our winners for 2004.
Brett Spencer, Manager Recreation Services, City of Stirling, Western Australia
The groundbreaking work of Brett Spencer, Manager Recreation Services at Stirling Council in Western Australia has given a shot in the arm to the municipality’s sporting organisations under the Council’s Clubs Forever program. Launched in July 2003, the program’s focus is to provide sport and recreation groups with specialised self management skills and valuable networks that will ensure clubs remain viable, effective and efficient in their operations.
The City of Stirling has more than 450 clubs in varying forms, in addition to countless volunteers that support a club or group based system. The program has an enormous impact in the community as it is estimated that more than 90,000 people participate in a club environment in the City of Stirling.
Director Community Development, Trevor Holland, who nominated Brett, said that he had developed the idea and worked it through.
“It is to his credit that the program was started and has been so successful” Trevor Holland said. “Never before has Local Government in this State focused on club sustainability and organisational development in this way. The program was developed to make sport and recreation groups more self managing and self sufficient. Following its success, the State Government has used it as model for other areas.
“Sporting clubs and community recreation organisations are a valuable part of a healthy, vibrant community, as are the volunteers that devote so much time and energy to build and sustain their clubs. This innovative program involves the City of Stirling teaming up with the Department of Sport and Recreation, with the endorsement of the West Australian Sports Federation.”
While the program provides vital support for the more than 450 sport and recreation groups in the City of Stirling, Clubs Forever has been designed to encourage the development of similar programs throughout the State.
“Clubs Forever is for everyone who values the special contribution that sport and recreation groups make to our community,” Trevor Holland said.
Groups that register for the Clubs Forever program receive support through five main areas including:
- free self management seminars
- communication including newsletters and a club services guide
- recognition through awards for individual and club achievements
- products, resource information, prizes and giveaways
- credit point system that will assist their club
The Clubs Forever sessions are now standing room only attracting clubs and organisations outside the municipality.
Brett has also managed to attract high level speakers such as former Australian Football League coach, David Parkin, to speak at a recent gathering. He had previously worked at the Department of Sport and Recreation and was also a recreation centre manager.
Brett Spencer said the most pleasing aspect of the program was giving clubs clear access to the Council.
“It is surprising how quickly the program has taken off and it is gratifying to see clubs using the system.”
Brett manages 75 full time staff and 150 casuals to run 17 recreation centres, aquatic centres across the municipality of 200,000 people. He also looks after the cultural arts and events across the Municipality, which includes two major beaches.
In the future, he is looking forward to the 2007 Australian Surf Life Saving championships being held in Stirling which will attract 8,500 competitors along with 15,000 to 20,000 visitors to the region.
“Our business unit put forward a joint submission to hold the event, which is one of the biggest in the world,” he said. “It is estimated that it will inject $25 million to the local economy.”
Team Winner – the Risk Management team at Dorset Council, Tasmania
Risk management is not something that sets the pulse racing, but it goes to the very essence of Local Government operations. It is about reducing risk to the organisation to produce better procedures and superior and more cost effective performance.
Dorset Council General Manager Greg Preece nominated Council’s Risk Management Team for this month’s award after it had significantly raised its score in the Annual Civic Mutual Plus (CMP) Survey. Civic Mutual Plus, an insurance broker, surveys risk management policies and practices of Local Governments in Tasmania and Victoria.
Greg said the team had done a tremendous amount of work to get the rating from 59 per cent to 70 per cent. Their effort was rewarded with the CMP award for the most improved Local Government in Tasmania in risk management.
The award, through the Local Government Association of Tasmania, is one thing, but it means lower premiums, increased public safety and better government for the municipality. Greg Preece said the increased rating was achieved in a year when most Councils struggled to maintain their previous ranking. If a Council achieves a high rating, it can reduce premiums and, at the same time, provide better service to the community.
“Lower premiums may mean a better inspection regime for roads and footpaths, tighter practices or effective asset management,” Greg Preece said. “While Dorset is a small Council, and the premiums are not large, every bit helps. Council’s multi disciplinary team looked at the issue of risk management from many angles.
“One of the strengths of the team is that tasks did not fall to one person. They worked well together identifying risks and then putting in action plans to address issues.” The team had been operating for about 18 months.
“The team worked very well together focusing on the problems raised by CMP in previous surveys and now we have a strong risk and comprehensive risk register,” Greg Preece said.
Corporate Services Manager, John Martin, said the team had closely examined smaller recreational parks in a dozen of Dorset’s smaller towns and helped set up Area Management Committees.
“The committees work with elected Councillors and staff to help manage the areas,” he said. “We then work to make sure it is financially, environmentally and socially sustainable. The Risk Management Team is also focusing on roads and footpaths and creating an effective inspection regime.”
The entire Risk Management Team comprises Corporate Services Manager, John Martin; Community Development and Services Manager, Katrina Skellern; Development and Environment Services Manager, Clive Bridges; Works and Infrastructure Manager, Larry Smith; Executive Officer Finance, Guy Jetson; Construction Supervisor, Wayne Williams; Maintenance Supervisor, David Lovegrove, along with Margaret Nicholls, Susan Woolley and Anne Bye from the Corporate Services Centre staff.
