He’s committed to achieving $500,000 in savings for next year’s budget.

A management restructure, crackdown on council vehicles and ‘organisational waste,’ fewer consultants and more efficient use of council buildings and plant are just some aspects of his ‘30- point plan.’ But money is not the only thing on his mind.

“We need to change the culture of this organisation so that it is easier for the community to do business with us,” he said.

He has titled his plan ‘Goulburn Mulwaree Council – and really proud of it’ to get his message across.

Mr Bennett met with community stakeholders and surveyed staff before drafting the document.

“Some people I have interviewed have indicated that we, as an organisation, have lost the public service philosophy and have become inwardly focused,” he stated in his report.

“We must foster the philosophy of being a public sector organisation so that it is central to our thinking and culture.”

He told the Post that communication with the community was too “one-sided” and in some cases “heavy handed.”

Significant change was needed to regain people’s respect. In short, he says Council needs to be more responsive and accountable for its actions.

Mr Bennett is proposing a leadership program as just one way to achieve this.

Setting a strategic direction for Goulburn Mulwaree is also top of his agenda. While staff have been waiting for this lead, they have not been putting reports to Council to facilitate it, Mr Bennett said.

Where we will be in 20 years, the infrastructure required for growth and how we drive economic development are the big questions.

The new GM also wants action on CBD improvements after years of plans and working parties. He says little is happening to revitalise the city centre due to a lack of direction and poor resourcing.

Mr Bennett won unanimous support from councillors in a meeting about proposed changes last Thursday. He also met with staff on Monday and Tuesday, ahead of a legislated 28-day consultation.

He earlier talked to affected staff about a management restructure.

Under the plan, the planning and community, engineering services and corporate services directorships would be abolished.

Four new director positions will be advertised nationally: Corporate and community services, planning and development, Goulburn Mulwaree utilities and Goulburn Mulwaree operations.

The latter will have a strong business focus, ensuring that Council work is “competitive with private industry.”

All posts will come with a fiveyear contract and performance measures attached.

Current directors have the option of applying.

Some manager’s positions below the directors will also be reviewed to remove duplication.

But the GM is anticipating just one staff loss overall – in the community relations department which will be abolished to make way for a communication coordinator.

Mr Bennett said the organisation also needed someone focused on strategic development.

“We need to understand what developers want to do and why,” he said.

“The community is telling me we’re difficult to do business with and we need to change that.”

Similarly, councillors need to clarify what they mean by economic development in order to harness opportunities. He says businesses will not simply relocate to Goulburn unless there’s incentive to do so.

Gathering statistics on employment opportunities, service availability and more would give business a head start.

Mr Bennett said Goulburn was brilliantly located and well placed to build on recent growth.

“Development is coming,” he said.

“We just need to start having conversations with people rather than using the big stick.”

As part of his efficiency drive, Mr Bennett says 74 per cent of staff had identified organisational waste.

He has set up a 17-member working party to focus on this aspect.

“I also need to drive a philosophy into the organisation that we spend money as if it is our own – because the reality is that it is,” he stated in his report.

The GM wants to reclaim management and maintenance of state roads in Goulburn Mulwaree rather than Upper Lachlan Shire doing this work.

A review of council’s depots and buildings, some of which are a hangover from the 2004 amalgamation, is also in the wind.

Council cars and particularly use of its 86 light vehicles come in for strong criticism. (See story above).

He will put 16 recommendations to the September 2 meeting, asking for councillors’ support for the changes. Mr Bennett conceded they were tough and required courage and strong leadership.

“I am of the opinion that change is needed – and significant change,” he wrote in his report.

“There is an expectation from the community for a more effective, efficient and responsive community.”

The exciting part was that he had councillors’ support for the changes, he told the Post.