Glenelg Shire Council has reappointed two municipal officers in the hopes that they can continue to support good governance at the council and assist in the recruitment of a new CEO.
Victorian Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, announced today that Jim Gifford and Steven Kingshott have been reappointed as municipal monitors from 15 April 2024.
Mr Kingshott’s appointment will conclude four weeks after an ongoing CEO is appointed to the council, and Mr Gifford’s appointment will conclude on 31 December 2024.
The two monitors were first appointed to the council for three months from 13 November 2023 to 13 February 2024 following a request from the Mayor of Glenelg Shire Council, and have provided their final report to Minister Horne.
The report notes that although the Council has made progress, work is still required to improve its governance policies, processes and practices.
In response to this advice, Minister Horne has reappointed Mr Gifford and Mr Kingshott as municipal monitors to Glenelg Shire Council under section 179 of the Local Government Act 2020.
The reappointment of the two monitors will ensure governance improvements are fully implemented and ensure stability during the October 2024 elections and recruitment of a new CEO.
The Victorian Government is supporting and improving council accountability, governance and culture across the state through reforms to the Local Government Act 2020.
The government has said that it will introduce new legislation before the local government elections in October 2024 to elevate governance and integrity standards in Victoria’s 79 councils.
Reforms will introduce mandatory training for elected representatives, a uniform councillor code of conduct and strengthened powers for the Minister to address councillor conduct.
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