ordinary council meeting agenda - shire of mitchell

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING

AGENDA

MONDAY 16 OCTOBER 2017

7.00pm NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Ordinary Council Meeting of

the Mitchell Shire Council will be held at Mitchell Civic Centre, 113 High Street Broadford, on Monday 16 October 2017 commencing at 7.00pm.

DAVID TURNBULL

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA 16 OCTOBER 2017

MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL Page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM SUBJECT PAGE NO

1 GOVERNANCE DECLARATION ................................................................... 1

2 APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE .................................................... 1

3 DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ............................................ 1

4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS ........................ 1

5 PETITIONS AND JOINT LETTERS ............................................................... 1

6 PRESENTATIONS ......................................................................................... 1

7 ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES................................................. 2

7.1 Draft Customer Service Charter and Draft Complaints Handling Framework ......................................................................................... 2

7.2 Mitchell Emergency Management Policy and Framework ................ 45

7.3 Council Plan 2017-2021 - Annual Action Plan 2017-2018 ................ 87

8 GOVERNANCE AND CORPORATE PERFORMANCE ............................. 116

8.1 Annual Report 2016-2017 .............................................................. 116

8.2 Assembly of Council Record .......................................................... 118

8.3 Review of Instruments of Delegation .............................................. 124

9 DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE .............................................. 225

9.1 Planning Permit Application PLP084/17 For 2 lot subdivision At 285 Gehrys Lane, Forbes ...................................................................... 225

9.2 Proposed Planning Scheme Amendment C120 - Re-zoning of Land at 2 Tootle Street, Kilmore .............................................................. 238

9.3 Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Hearings and Activities Carried Out Under Delegation ........................................................ 253

9.4 Mitchell Shire Environment Strategies Draft 2017-2018 Action Plan ....................................................................................................... 258

9.5 Proposed Mitchell Environment Advisory Committee Membership 274

10 EXECUTIVE SERVICES ............................................................................ 278

Nil Reports .................................................................................................. 278

11 NOTICES OF MOTION ............................................................................... 279


MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL Page ii

11.1 Notice of Motion: No. 922 - Opposition to Increased Poker Machines ....................................................................................................... 279

11.2 Notice of Motion: No. 923 - Ordinary Council Meeting Time .......... 280

11.3 Notice of Motion: No. 924 - 2030 Greater Victoria Commonwealth Games Bid Project ......................................................................... 281

11.4 Notice of Motion: No. 925 - Shopping Trolleys ............................... 282

11.5 Notice of Motion: No. 926 - Planning Delegation ............................ 283

12 DELEGATES REPORTS ............................................................................ 284

12.1 Delegate Report - Heritage Advisory Committee - Overview and Update ............................................................................................ 284

12.2 Delegate Report Mitchell Environment Advisory Committee Overview and Update ..................................................................................... 286

12.3 Delegate Report - Overview and Update on Activities and Delegate Deliberations .................................................................................. 288

13 GENERAL BUSINESS ............................................................................... 296

14 URGENT BUSINESS ................................................................................. 296

15 CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS ...................................................................... 296

15.1 Confirmation of Minutes of previous Confidential Meeting ............. 296

15.2 Delegate Report - Audit Committee................................................ 296

15.3 Wallara Waters Estate - Council Position paper for VCAT Hearing 296

15.4 Kings Park Seymour Netball Amenities Procurement Tender Evaluation ...................................................................................... 296

15.5 Fire Hazard Removal Services Panel of Contractors Procurement Report ............................................................................................ 296

15.6 Re-opening of Meeting to members of the public ........................... 296

16 DATE OF NEXT MEETING ........................................................................ 297

17 CLOSE OF MEETING ................................................................................ 297


MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL Page 1

1 GOVERNANCE DECLARATION

2 APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE

3 DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

In accordance with Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1989.

4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held 18 September 2017, as circulated, be confirmed.

5 PETITIONS AND JOINT LETTERS

In accordance with Clause 66 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.

6 PRESENTATIONS

In accordance with Clause 65 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law.



7 ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

7.1 DRAFT CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER AND DRAFT COMPLAINTS HANDLING FRAMEWORK

Author: Kellie Vise - Manager Active Communities

File No: LI/01/001-02

Attachments: 1. Customer Service Charter 2017⇩ 2. Complaints Handling Framework 2017⇩

SUMMARY

Mitchell Shire’s Council Plan 2017 – 2021 establishes a key strategic objective to ensure a customer first approach for responsive service delivery and communication.

As part of this commitment, a new Customer Service Charter (Attachment 1) and Complaints Handling Framework (Attachment 2) have been developed to provide greater transparency to the community and to commit all Council staff to deliver excellent service that is responsive, accessible and inclusive.

The new Charter and Framework is presented for Council’s consideration. Council will continue to work with the community and staff to implement this new approach and to identify ongoing improvements.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council:

1. Adopts the Mitchell Shire Council Customer Charter and Complaints Handling

Framework.

2. Continues to work with the community throughout the year and formally review the Charter and Framework in twelve (12) months.

BACKGROUND

Over the last 12 months, a program of internal and external research has been undertaken to inform the development of key priorities to improve our customer service including a new Customer Service Charter and Complaints Handling Framework.

The Customer Service Charter and Complaints Handling Framework are critical documents to help establish customer service benchmarks, provide more consistent and transparent service through all parts of Council and identify ongoing improvement opportunities.

ISSUES AND DISCUSSION

Mitchell Shire Council is committed to delivering excellent service to our community.

While Council regularly receives positive feedback about customer service, we also recognise that inconsistent management of customer requests and our approach to complaints handling across the organisation are a common cause of customer frustration.


DRAFT CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER AND DRAFT COMPLAINTS HANDLING FRAMEWORK (CONT.)


To help improve our customer focus, a number of key actions have been developed to help understand our customer’s experience, improve staff capabilities and behaviors, look at processes and technology and introduce performance measures.

These have been incorporated into a continuous improvement program under four key pillars which are embedded in the Charter and Framework and will form part of the implementation program.

The four pillars for improvement are:

1. Understand our Customer’s Experience

Improve our understanding of our customer’s experience and satisfaction levels to ensure we focus on high value improvements. Regularly analyse customer feedback and insights to inform our continuous improvement program.

2. Customer focused people, capabilities and behaviors

Embed customer centric behaviours into our organisational culture.

3. Customer centred processes enabled through technology

Simplify and streamline our customer’s experience with Council processes and systems.

4. Performance focused

Deliver on our commitments, measure and report on our performance to the community and Council regularly.

The priority actions under the improvement program for 2017-2018 are to:

• Develop and implement a Customer Charter and agreed customer service standards.

• Implement a Customer Complaints Handling Framework and Procedure.

• Develop and implement a Customer First staff culture improvement program.

• Implement improved customer request management processes including the systematic tracking of customer requests and reporting about response times against agreed standards.

• Train and cross skill staff across a broad range of Council services to increase first contact resolution rates and improve the customer experience.

Customer Service Charter

The Customer Service Charter sets the standards and associated performance measurements to help ensure we provide consistent and high-quality service outcomes for our community.

The Charter sets service standards for customer enquiries and requests. It also outlines our commitment to a consistent customer first experience though phone calls, online, in person, social media and in writing. It sets out our expectations of customer behavior to help us provide a positive outcome and resolve enquiries.




A range of customer information data points were reviewed across the organisation and benchmarked with other councils to determine the service standards. Customer feedback and the Annual Community Satisfaction Survey were also reviewed. A summary of the documents will be made available a Customer Service Centres.

Complaints Handling Framework

The Complaints Handling Framework provides a clear and consistent process for customers to raise a formal complaint, if they believe a concern has not been resolved appropriately or the quality or level of service provided is unacceptable.

As a customer focused organisation, the Complaints Handling Framework details Council’s commitment to providing a fair and consistent process for customers making a complaint.

The Framework identifies key performance indicators for complaints handling, including regular reporting to the community and Council. The Framework is supported by a continuous improvement program, which aims to enhance our services over time by reviewing and addressing areas where complaints arise.

The Framework also outlines what is considered a complaint, the actions Council will take in dealing with a complaint, the timeframes involved and alternative avenues for complaints and dispute resolution.

CONSULTATION

Interrogation of customer complaints and feedback indicated that there was inconsistency in Council’s management of customer feedback and complaints. While we regularly receive positive feedback about the way in which customers are treated by staff, perceived bureaucratic processes and inconsistent management of requests and complaints are a common cause of customer frustration and complaint.

Benchmarking with other councils and organisations was also conducted to inform both the Customer Charter and the Complaints Handling Framework. The Annual Community Satisfaction Survey and customer feedback were reviewed to help identify service levels and improvement opportunities.

FINANCIAL, RESOURCE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

The Charter and Complaints Handling Framework will be implemented with existing resources in the 2017 – 2018 Council budget including the introduction of a new Customer Request Management system, a new website and the introduction of some e-services. The continued development of a customer-first approach and customer service channels will require ongoing investment in the short and medium term.

POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Charter and Complaints Handling Framework are directly related to Strategic Objectives in the Council Plan to ensuring a customer-first approach.

The framework supports Council’s obligations under various legislation including Privacy and Health Records, Freedom of Information, Protected Disclosures and decisions made under legislation which provides or separate avenues of appeal (e.g. Building, Planning, Environmental Health, Infringements, Land Valuations).




The framework strengthens our commitment to an open and transparent complaints handling process and compliments the principles in the Victorian Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Guide for the Victorian Public Sector.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS (SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL)

The Draft Customer Service Charter and the Draft Complaints Handling Framework outline a range of strategies aimed at supporting and enhancing the social and environmental sustainability of the Mitchell Shire.

CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS

The rights protected in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 were considered in preparing this report and it’s determined that the subject matter does not raise any human rights issues.

OFFICER DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

No officers involved in the preparation of this report have any direct or indirect interest in this matter.

CONCLUSION

The Customer Service Charter and Complaints Handling Framework are critical documents to guide Council in providing the best possible customer service for our community.

The documents provide greater transparency to the community and commit all Council staff to delivering excellent service standard that are responsive, accessible and inclusive.

The Charter and Complaints Handling Framework will be reviewed in 12 months with further improvement opportunities identified and with a commitment to service improvement and excellence.




MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL

Council Meeting Attachment

ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

16 OCTOBER 2017

7.1

DRAFT CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER AND DRAFT COMPLAINTS HANDLING

FRAMEWORK

Attachment No: 1

Customer Service Charter 2017

Item 7.1 - Attachment 1 Customer Service Charter 2017


ordinary council meeting agenda - shire of mitchell

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