Published Monday, 20 October, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Banana Shire Council report identifies areas of failure
A review of the operations of Banana Shire Council has identified several areas where council procedures and operations were sub-standard or did not comply with legislative requirements, Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said today.
Mr Pitt said while the report identified instances of mismanagement concerning the council’s handling of development applications and assessment procedures and aspects of its commercial operations, it did not find any evidence of corruption or unethical conduct.
“The report did identify failure in a number of areas, including compliance with the Environmental Protection Act, the Integrated Planning Act and meeting Integrated Development Assessment System timeframes,” Mr Pitt said.
“Importantly, the report found that these breaches were not done out of dishonesty or in an attempt to advantage either the council or individual council officers.
“The best course of action from this point forward is to focus on assisting Banana Shire Council improve its procedures and service delivery areas.
“We will be working in partnership with Banana Shire Council to implement all the recommendations from this report as well as assisting council to organise training for council officers so that they may better serve their communities.
“The Queensland Government is committed to building strong, sustainable and prosperous communities, and in order to do this we need councils who are up to speed with the latest legislative requirements and have well defined management plans and strategic objectives.
“I am releasing this report publicly in the interests of transparency and accountability, so that other councils across Queensland are aware of the high standards expected of them, and the implications of not achieving those standards,” Mr Pitt said.
A copy of the report is available on the Local Government website.
http://www.localgovernment.qld.gov.au/?id=93
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Mr Pitt said while the report identified instances of mismanagement concerning the council’s handling of development applications and assessment procedures and aspects of its commercial operations, it did not find any evidence of corruption or unethical conduct.
“The report did identify failure in a number of areas, including compliance with the Environmental Protection Act, the Integrated Planning Act and meeting Integrated Development Assessment System timeframes,” Mr Pitt said.
“Importantly, the report found that these breaches were not done out of dishonesty or in an attempt to advantage either the council or individual council officers.
“The best course of action from this point forward is to focus on assisting Banana Shire Council improve its procedures and service delivery areas.
“We will be working in partnership with Banana Shire Council to implement all the recommendations from this report as well as assisting council to organise training for council officers so that they may better serve their communities.
“The Queensland Government is committed to building strong, sustainable and prosperous communities, and in order to do this we need councils who are up to speed with the latest legislative requirements and have well defined management plans and strategic objectives.
“I am releasing this report publicly in the interests of transparency and accountability, so that other councils across Queensland are aware of the high standards expected of them, and the implications of not achieving those standards,” Mr Pitt said.
A copy of the report is available on the Local Government website.
http://www.localgovernment.qld.gov.au/?id=93
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819