Councillors Must Step Up: The Case for Stronger Oversight as CEOs Underperform

Across Australia, ratepayers are growing increasingly frustrated. Despite paying record-high council rates, they are witnessing a steady decline in the quality and efficiency of local services. From uncollected rubbish bins to pothole-ridden roads, sluggish development approvals, and a lack of community investment, local governments appear to be failing in their fundamental duty: serving the public.

At the heart of this issue lies a structural imbalance within councils—an environment where Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) operate with too little accountability and too much discretion, while elected councillors, who are supposed to represent the interests of the community, often lack the authority or engagement necessary to ensure proper oversight.

The Accountability Gap

Local government CEOs wield significant power. The are NOT elected.

They control budgets, oversee staff, and implement the policies set by the elected council. However, in too many cases, CEOs are more focused on bureaucratic processes and internal priorities than on actual service delivery.

In Bayside Council in Sydney, local businesses have raised concerns about excessive red tape and delays in processing permits and approvals. A simple application for a small café extension, which should take weeks, can stretch into months due to inefficient processes and a lack of urgency at the executive level. This hurts local economies and discourages investment.

Too often, councillors are told that operational matters are the exclusive domain of the CEO and senior staff, effectively sidelining those elected to advocate for residents. While separation between governance and management is important, this division has increasingly become a shield for underperformance. CEOs and council executives must be held to higher standards, with councillors taking a more proactive role in scrutinising decision-making and outcomes.

Record Rates, Declining Services

Across the country, ratepayers are paying more than ever before, yet they are seeing fewer tangible benefits. In Brisbane, rate increases have outpaced inflation, yet residents have reported deteriorating road conditions and delays in basic maintenance services.

In Perth’s City of Stirling, community groups have criticised the council for prioritising expensive feasibility studies and consultant reports over direct investment in community facilities. Ratepayers often ask: If councils can afford million-dollar consultant contracts, why can't they afford to fix the local playground or improve street lighting?

The fundamental question remains: If rates are increasing, why is service quality declining? The answer lies in the disconnect between council executives and the community. CEOs, often appointed from outside the municipality, may lack a deep understanding of local needs. Their focus is frequently on corporate-style performance metrics rather than meaningful community outcomes. This results in a misalignment between the expectations of ratepayers and the priorities of council administration.

Councillors Must Reassert Their Role

Councillors are elected to represent the community’s interests, yet many feel constrained by rules that limit their involvement in operational oversight. This must change. While councillors should not micromanage, they must have greater visibility over how decisions are implemented and ensure that CEOs are held accountable for service failures.

Several key reforms could help address this issue:

1. Stronger Performance Reviews: Councillors should demand rigorous, transparent performance reviews of CEOs, with clear benchmarks for service quality and financial management.

2. Greater Financial Oversight: Ratepayers deserve detailed explanations of where their money is going. Councillors should push for more comprehensive financial reporting and scrutiny of spending decisions.

3. Service Delivery Audits: Regular, independent audits of council services should be mandated to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

4. Community Engagement: Councillors should take a more active role in seeking feedback from residents and using this input to hold CEOs accountable for outcomes, not just processes.

Restoring Public Confidence

The growing dissatisfaction with local

councils is not just about potholes and bin collections—it is about trust.

In Victoria’s Casey Council, the state government was forced to sack the entire council in 2020 due to corruption scandals, reinforcing how unchecked power can lead to severe governance failures. While this is an extreme case, it underscores the need for councillors to be vigilant and engaged.

Ratepayers want to believe that their money is being spent wisely and that their representatives have the power and will to demand better performance from council leadership. For too long, local government executives have operated with minimal scrutiny. It is time for councillors to reclaim their role as the true voice of the community, ensuring that councils are not just bureaucratic machines but efficient, responsive institutions that serve the people who fund them.

If you like this article and want to help us generate more, please feel free to donate.

Any donation helps.

DONATE