Clarence Valley Council is proposing a six-month improvement program aimed at strengthening council operations while keeping the region’s elected councillors in office.
Councillors backed the proposal at an extraordinary meeting on October 6, where they also voted to bring in an experienced interim general manager to oversee improvements within the organisation.
Under the plan, the interim general manager would spend their first 90 days identifying areas requiring improvement and developing measures to address them.
They would then report to council each month on progress and could remain in the role for up to 12 months.
Council will ask NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig to allow the elected councillors to remain in office while the interim general manager leads the initial six-month improvement program.
Councillors have also requested an additional week to respond to correspondence received from the Minister on October 2.
The extension would allow the response to be formally debated at council’s October 15 meeting, giving councillors more time to consider matters affecting the future operation and governance of Clarence Valley Council.
If the Minister does not grant additional time, council will proceed with its submission based on the decision made at the October 6 extraordinary meeting.
Council later moved into confidential session to consider legal advice before the meeting closed at 8.15pm.
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