Full details of Kiama Council’s response to the Notice of Intent to Issue Performance Orders by the Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman, are now available on its website following its lodgment yesterday [Council to ask for Performance Orders not to be imposed].

“We have asked the Minister for the chance to keep being proactive, without the need for Performance Improvement Orders or the expensive appointment of a financial advisor,” said Kiama Mayor Neil Reilly in a statement releasing the letter approved by an Extraordinary Meeting last week and more than 55 attachments detailing work done so far and planned.

The response proposes the creation of Stage II of its Strategic Improvement Plan and monthly reporting to the Department.

The statement on Council’s website continues in full:

Cr Reilly said the work we have done so far shows clearly that many of our issues stem from dual involvement in aged care and local services. This is being addressed with the recent decision to sell Blue Haven Bonaira.

“I thank my fellow Councillors who have supported our return to core local government services. This is a time of great change and great challenge for Kiama Council. No change is ever easy. But fundamentally, we need to focus on being a local government that is here for our community, not just today, but in two years, 10 years and well into the future,” he said. 

Kiama Council CEO Jane Stroud acknowledged the hard work of the sitting Councillors and staff who have been working to improve our situation.

“I know we have approached things differently to other Councils, and not everyone has appreciated that. We have been proactive in facing our issues head-on, being transparent and working collaboratively to address our financial problems.”

“This has involved self-reporting to ICAC and to the State on serious matters such as potential maladministration, potential fraud and corruption as well as going concern status. It has been an arduous and sometimes controversial process, but fundamentally the right thing to do,” said Ms Stroud. 

Ms Stroud said Kiama Council’s response shows almost all the matters listed in the Minister’s letter are issues that we found, brought to public attention and have taken comprehensive actions to improve. Most actions listed in the schedule are well underway, if not complete. 

“We know what the road ahead looks like to restore our business and better manage the financial position of council in the short and long term,” said Ms Stroud.

“This is a wonderful Council with a proud history but, like many local governments out there, we aren’t perfect. Investment and service decisions made historically have overstretched our financial means and organisational capability.

“We are working hard and continuously to fix the issues. I sincerely hope we can keep going on the path of self-directed improvement, rather than have State based sanctions imposed which will create additional financial burdens for Council. However, I do fully appreciate that, given the gravity of the challenges, the Minister needs to act as she sees fit, and we will accept her decision and continue to work positively on improving the business.”

Cr Reilly said: “We’re in a period of intense transition at Kiama Council, and we’re working hard to get where we need to go. We have put an unprecedented amount of information on the public record, which shows how we got here, and which has been confirmed by the Office of Local Government and the NSW Auditor General.”

“We simply can’t afford to stop, we must focus on next steps – our stage two Strategic Improvement Plan, realising key asset divestments and re-focusing on our core business of delivering Local Government services.”

(ends)