Community members are being invited to have their say on the terms of reference that will guide an independent review of City of Newcastle's processes, procedures and performance.
Councillors unanimously voted at the December Council meeting to undertake a review, which will be conducted by Davidson Business Advisory.
Lord Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge said the purpose is to provide an independent review of City of Newcastle's performance, processes and procedures to uphold public trust and enhance governance.
"I am committed to ensuring transparency, accountability, and excellence in our governance," Cr Kerridge said.
"The goal is to objectively assess our current practices and identify areas for potential improvement. This review is not about restructuring or reducing Council operations but about providing independent assurance of our performance and compliance with regulated obligations."
Cr Kerridge said the review provides the opportunity for community input.
From Monday 13 January to Wednesday 29 January 2025 the community is invited to provide submissions and feedback on the terms of reference as resolved by Council at the December meeting, which covers five themes:
1. General Governance - assessing the adequacy of City of Newcastle's general governance processes
2. Financial Governance - assessing the adequacy of City of Newcastle's financial governance processes
3. Compliance - assessing City of Newcastle's compliance against key legislative requirements
4. Engagement - assessing City of Newcastle's processes to engage the community
5. Major Projects - assessing City of Newcastle's governance of major projects
"I am pleased that we are moving forward with this important review and that it offers the opportunity for community submissions and feedback on the scope. Davidson Business Advisory has established a secure portal for this input to be lodged directly with them and this mechanism enables respondents to opt for their submission to be treated as confidential if they wish," Cr Kerridge said.
Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull, who brought the Notice of Motion to the December Council meeting, said the review will be led by Davidson Business Advisory, who have worked with more than 100 local governments across Australia and are experienced in undertaking similar governance and performance reviews, with oversight from City of Newcastle's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.
"Davidson's lead consultant, Colin Jensen spent 14 years as the CEO of the largest local government in Australia, the City of Brisbane. Prior to this he was Director General of the Queensland Government Infrastructure and Planning Department, and has extensive experience in navigating complex, highly regulated environments," Cr Pull said.
Davidson will prepare a report for City of Newcastle's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee prior to the review findings being presented to the elected Council later this year.
Submissions to the Independent Review can be made via the external, secure portal here.
