The Susan Halliday report: Next steps for Ballarat council

This is about much more than what goes on behind closed doors within a big regional employer. It goes to the core of an organisation which has perhaps the biggest influence on the future shape of our city. Can it evolve into a true regional powerhouse?

Will people's living standards and connectivity improve and thrive as more and more people move here every year? The actions of the people who work at the City of Ballarat, as well as the elected council, will play a pivotal role.

Put that into the context of hundreds of workers worn down by negative publicity swirling around their workplace and there is a problem - unless change comes quickly to the areas that need it.

Several interviewees themselves note the impact of poor culture. One reports "seeing really good employees leave due to the City of Ballarat not being a preferred employer".

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While parts of the council are praised for inclusivity, another contributor memorably describes others as having a "limited understanding of how a sound 21st-century workplace functions". "Shackled to the past" and "stagnating" are among other descriptions.

A further interviewee says: "Culture has instilled a large fear of failure, resulting in inaction and slower rate of progress; promising ideas have been blocked due to a fear of senior managers not liking them".

Addressing these issues and external perceptions will be at the crux of the challenge facing Evan King and his team when he officially starts as chief executive officer next month. Several times during Wednesday's meeting, councillors referred to the City of Ballarat becoming an "employer of choice". Preventing a repetition of the more shocking episodes uncovered by Susan Halliday's report will be an essential part of that, as will getting to the nub of broader governance and leadership concerns with the action plan that interim CEO Janet Dore has prepared.

It should also be noted that an average job satisfaction rating of six, as expressed by the Halliday interviewees, hardly indicates a culture that is rotten throughout.

Can the findings have an impact? Six years ago, Ms Halliday carried out similar work with the City of Greater Geelong, with wide-scale bullying unveiled - both among councillors and council officers. A commission of inquiry was appointed and the council was sacked. Clearly that is not an impact that would be welcomed here. While parts of the report on Ballarat are damning, it does not suggest a bullying culture was rife as it was in Geelong, even though there repeated concerns about (unnamed) councillor conduct. Given the actions taken so far since the Ombudsman's report, a repeat of the Geelong scenario remains unlikely. However the extraordinary scenes at this week's council meeting may lead local government minister Shaun Leane to watch Ballarat more closely than ever.

Council will, of course, never win any popularity contests. That is the lot of council workers the world over. Neglected potholes, unsealed roads, missed bin collections and difficult planning decisions mean there will always be residents who have a moan. Some of those who spoke to Ms Halliday also said they felt the local press "fuelled tension and conflict" and that not enough was done to "promote good stories and prevent the negative publicity".

While it should never be the role of independent media to toe a local authority line - readers rightly demand scrutiny of expenses, behaviour and big projects - telling the good news stories is harder. Councils employ many more tools, particularly on social media, to promote their own work. Traditional media is no longer as key as it once was to promote wonderful gardens and new events.

READ THE REPORT HERE

It is true, however, that important community moments are lost when attention is focused on the uglier side of town hall. Wednesday's council meeting included a motion of condolence to a town hall regular, Gary Fitzgerald. A probing, good-natured presence at many meetings, he died on Christmas Eve. Several councillors spoke movingly of his contribution.

A mention of the motion in The Courier's report of the first council meeting since his passing would have been apt. Any chance of that disappeared when the former mayor and CEO slid into open conflict.

Given those events, and the Halliday report, the journey to restore public confidence and perceptions, to make sure the city attracts and retains enough firepower, ideas and enthusiasm to cast off the pall of COVID-19, seems like a long one.

Mr King, a notable sprinter, may need to draw on ultrarunner-like reserves to stay the course. After the last few days, who would envy that task?

May 14: The report is tabled

May 16, 2020

May 18, 2020: Resignation and sacking

May 19: Mayor Ben Taylor talks about Justine Linley's sacking

May 21: Price fixing links of acting CEO confirmed

May 24: Fresh doubts published over recruitment processes/ Fall out continues over decision to terminate Justine Linley's CEO contract

May 28: Push for new interim CEO

June 10: New CEO announced

June 12: First day of new interim CEO, Janet Dore

June 18: Directors jobs to be re-advertised

June 29: Director of business services resigns

July 7: Director Cameron Cahill resigns

July 23: Changes to procurement

July 28: Another director goes

August 2: 'More than half way there'

August 11: Last director resigns

August 27: CEO recruitment begins

September 2: New appointments

September 10: New director of infrastructure and environment

September 11: Final director roles filled

September 17: Cultural review

January 6, 2021: Analysis and CEO appointment

January 26, 2021

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