The Australian Centre for Excellence for Local Government at the University of Technology Sydney and SAI Global have co-hosted the Australian Business Excellence Framework in Local Government forum to discuss the future of best practice and excellence in local government in Australia.

 

Chief executive officers and council managers with a reputation for taking a lead in promoting excellence and continuous improvement within their councils were invited to debate the following issues:

 

  • Excellence - How do we define, recognise, assess and promote it? How is the BEF helping, and how might it need to change? What other tools are out there? What can other sectors teach local government about excellence?
  • Continuous improvement - What are typical elements of a local government continuous improvement program? What are the legislative frameworks that jurisdictions use to promote it? How can the BEF work in more efficiently with existing legislative requirements? Is there a conflict between quality control and innovation?
  • Public Value - Do concepts of public value differ from those of Business Excellence? How can issues of governance and community be incorporated into the BEF?
  • Local government - How do we best support and advance excellence in the sector? For example through research, networking opportunities, case studies, implementation tools, identifying good practice, providing support, and building capacity.

 

Presentations were made by:

  • Ravi Fernando - Head of Improvement Solutions, SAI Global
  • Sarah Artist - Assistant Director, UTS Centre for Local Government
  • Mark Searle - CEO of Marion Council
  • Peter Gesling - CEO of Port Stephens Council
  • John Neish - CEO of City of Ryde
  • Shayne Silcox - CEO of City of Melville
  • Michael J Foley - CEO of City of Swan
  • Zoe Pattison - Business Excellence Co-Ordinator, Port Stephens Council

 

 

The outcomes of the forum will inform the Review of Excellence Framworks which is currently being conducted by the ACELG.

 

Presentations from the forum can be viewed here