Councils operate under rules set out by the NSW Government. Councillors can’t change the rules but need to look at how they are applied to suit our community. The role of Councillors, as elected members of local government, comes with great responsibility. This includes putting the community above our own personal benefit to do the best for the overall community.

Similar to a board of directors, as a Council we are held accountable for what we do by setting out the vision and determining the direction for the future of our Shire. How and when it will be delivered is set out in our publicly available long-term Community

Strategic Plan, our four-year Delivery Plan, and our yearly Operating Plan. These plans are a key part of measuring Council’s performance as they outline the projects and programs the organisation is working to deliver and set targets to measure how they will be achieved.

The challenges of managing a finite budget against a growing wish list of services and more than $1 billion of assets that need maintenance are significant. A key part of our governance framework is to ensure we are financially sound while guiding growth within the Macleay Valley in the years ahead.

Over the past year, Council undertook an external review of the organisational structure and workplace culture which looked closely at everything we do. With the organisation’s new leadership team in place, Council is implementing a new structure; setting standards staff developed in their Vision and Values; and investing in more efficient ways to deliver improved services to the Macleay by working towards a more efficient, customer-focused Council.