At the 2005 Local Government Managers Australia National Congress in Canberra, FOCUS invited delegates to nominate an individual or team from their Council who is improving their Council’s operations and meeting community needs. In this edition, we showcase the first two of our competition winners for 2005.
Simon Wahl, Group Manager Information Services, City of Swan, Western Australia
With a background as a physicist, information technology consultant and now in change management, as well as a career in Switzerland, Germany and Australia, Simon Wahl has brought a wealth of experience to his role at the City of Swan in Perth. As Group Manager Information Services, Simon Wahl’s work encompasses the diverse fields of information technology, Geographic Information Systems, archiving, public relations and marketing.
Nominated by Chief Executive Officer, Eric Lumsden, he said that Simon plays a vital role in the organisation.
“He is a highly cooperative worker who has greatly assisted in implementing a complex program,” Eric Lumsden said. “We have benefited from his strong IT experience that he has gained in both the public and private sector.”
Simon Wahl sees a number of major challenges for Swan in the next few years.
“The first challenge is improved customer service and we are developing new systems across Council to deliver this change,” he said.
He has also been a strong advocate of e-commerce solutions for Local Government. In a presentation to the recent Annual Conference of the Institute of Municipal Management, Simon spelled out his vision for the future of the sector – the Internet is growing at such a substantial rate that Local Government cannot afford to ignore it.
He outlined the benefits for Local Government with 24 hour access to information and services and instant access to forms.
“For the customer, there is less travelling time and therefore less pollution and traffic,” he said. “It can lead to tighter integration with your customer, and give greater feedback to the organisation.
The Internet can also provide an opportunity for re-engineering solutions across an organisation. Simon Wahl said the Internet provides a wealth of opportunities for Local Government with digital links for the future. His role has been pivotal in moving the Council onto a change management path under the Australian Business Excellence Framework. (ABEF). In the broader management sense, he has embraced ABEF as a model for change management at Swan.
Simon Wahl says this framework provides a comprehensive way for change management across a highly diverse workplace such as Local Government.
“It works across all functional areas and gives consistency to management operations and for everyone working in the area,” he said.
He sees the major challenge to Local Government being customer service and has spoken widely on the role new technology is going to have on the area.
“Asset management is another very important part of Local Government operations and it requires strong links to a strategic financial plan,” he said.
Swan Council also faces large challenges as its present population of 100,000 is growing at between three and five per cent per annum and this rate is likely to accelerate. But Simon Wahl likes the constant pace change which is very much part of Local Government.
“Almost all the policies, structures and strategies we had seven years ago have changed,” he said. “It means that there is demands from everywhere and it never stands still. I have been in previous jobs for about two to three years, and then I get bored, but I have now been at Swan for seven years and I am still interested.”
Team Winner – Library Services Team, Camden Council, New South Wales
Located 60 kilometres from the centre of Sydney and with a population of 32,000 people, Camden covers 201 square kilometres. Camden is one of the fastest growing Local Government areas in Australia, with an average of 44 new residents each week.
The Library Services Team has recently put in place major changes which have resulted in the libraries being repositioned in the community as ‘more than books’ to becoming community hubs. It is for this reason that Council’s Manager Community Services, Lisa Miscamble, nominated the Library Services Team for our 2005 High Achievers feature.
“Programs now range from lapsit sessions for babies to techno senior classes,” Lisa Miscamble said. “The library buildings and ambience now reflect the people they serve and the places in which they are located. The library team has adapted to change and embraced all opportunities.”
Camden Council Library Services are delivered through two libraries. Both libraries provide services for people of all ages and public access to the Internet and word processing facilities. A range of recreational opportunities include puppet shows for children, play stations for adolescents and literary discussion and workshops for adults.
There are 15 equivalent full time staff including Library Manager, Kathryn Baget-Juleff.
Over the past five years the Library Services Team has undertaken an enormous amount of change, signalling a new era for Council’s library services. The new look libraries are designed to cater for growth in the community over the next 15 years. They incorporate multipurpose meeting rooms, community art and display areas, youth facilities, office accommodation for community based organisations, space for events and displays provided by local community groups, businesses and organisations and an outdoor area to encourage visitors to participate in outdoor activities.
The service is popular in the community with more than 244,000 user visits each year. However, with the new facilities library staff are promoting the idea of connecting people by offering a place for them to meet, relax, discuss ideas and be informed. It is a move away from the traditional concept of a library that is hoped to bring even more people through the front door.
The Library Services staff are hard working and dedicated and attribute the following reasons for their success in embracing change:
- staff are skilled in their roles and functions
- staff are involved in developing the mission, vision, values and operating plans regardless of their position/title
- there is a supportive atmosphere and one where creativity and innovation is encouraged
- library staff members have varied professional backgrounds and training ranging from librarians, teachers, scientists and artists that assist in delivering the broad range of programs
- staff are proud of the service and take ownership of the libraries
- staff have a sense of humour!
