Case Studies on the use of Social Media in Local Government

Posted in Local Government Web network : 25 Mar 2010 04:16 PM PDT

One of the people involved in building the new Local Government Web Network site found new resources to help us navigate the wilds of social media.

“These two new case studies were published in the last couple of weeks and come via ww.worktogether.org.uk . A new a space where the Local Government sector in the UK are encouraged to share their experiences. It covers all sorts topics, not just technology, and includes youth engagement, unemployment and more to come.

Brent Knowledge Hub Case Study March 2010 (PDF 178kb)

Devon Knowledge Hub Case Study March 2010 (PDF 185kb)

These are just two of the three case studies available.”

Here is an interesting one in light of the role former WCC GM Rod Oxley played in having our Council serve the needs of local business – and in light of the many millions of ratepayers moneys which have underwritten business in Wollongong over the years.

For a recent example, the many millions of our rates which have gone into the white elephant Gateway at Bulli Tops in the name of encouraging tourism.

The Illawarra Business Chamber is making another push to get WCC to commit funding for Economic Development Officers who would work to promote business opportunities in Wollongong. Reminds me of the former times when Rod Oxley had council officers out and about promoting development.

The IBC have released a paper “Economic Development in Wollongong – a way forward”

It states:

The IBC is also calling on Wollongong City Council to re-engage in economic development policy for the local government area (LGA).

They note:

“Unlike most Council’s in NSW, there is no longer a dedicated economic development office within Wollongong City Council (WCC). This Council function ceased when Administrators were appointed to the LGA. The Administrators have argued that WCC‟s contribution to this policy area is through planning instruments, rather than business attraction strategies.”

There does not appear to be any hard data from the Illawarra Business Chamber on actual costs vis-a-vis returns to ratepayers for funding this enterprise. There may be an argument that businesses contribute rates to the city, and some of this amount could be used to fund such an office in Council.

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESS AWAY FROM CBD

The IBC also say:

“The Council recently appointed a City Centre Place Manager to revitalise the inner city area. The Place Manager‟s role will involve overseeing and prioritising key capital works in the city centre such as the refurbishment of the mall, Town Hall, Civic Plaza and Blue Mile. They will also be responsible for setting future direction, seeking out funding opportunities and engaging with different stakeholders to support and attract investment in the city. There is also an Advisory Committee attached to this position, which allows business and community input into the revitalisation process.

This role, while welcome, is clearly CBD focused and does not address business-attraction for areas outside the CBD.”

With some real costings and financial analysis to assist people to make sense out of a complex economic reality, this is the sort of policy area which could be discussed at Neighbourhood Forums. Who knows, the IBC may be right?

See the key recommendations and download the short paper at http://www.illawarrabusiness.com/resources/1069

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (DECCW) invite you to attend a two-day training workshop

Complex challenges such as sustainability and climate change demand new forms of community involvement in a collaborative approach to planning and policy development.

Monday 29 & Tuesday 30 March 2010
9am – 5pm (both days)
Level 9 Function Room,
Administration Building
41 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Hosted by Wollongong City Council

Workshop costs:
$120 + GST (government and agency staff)
$90 + GST (members of community organisations and practitioners)

Register your attendance online at www.nccnsw.org.au/nswclimatesummit or contact Rachel Mimmo at the Nature Conservation Council of NSW on (02) 9279 2633 or by email at rmimmo@nccnsw.org.au. Register early as places are limited.

download flyer from:
http://nccnsw.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=38&Itemid=1112

Prehaps in contrast to some other groups forming at this time, a Community Democracy Movement has, as its fundamental aim, the empowerment of local communities in the decision-making process of government..

That is, the fundamental aim is the real empowerment of local communities in the decision-making processes of all levels of government – local, state and federal (and regional if and when we move to that level of government).

This is a non-negotiable aim, and such matters as getting better Councillors (and better elected MPs) are secondary.

SMALL STEPS

Clearly such a movement needs to begin with small steps while it develops the competencies and procedures to handle community business in a democratic and responsible manner.

In Wollongong we now have almost 20 years of such direct experience via the former WCC Neighbourhood Committees, Local Area Meetings and Neighbourhood Forums. Some ‘experts’ (who were not part of the local effort) discount the value of this hard won experience. They need to come up to speed.

The new design has to result in new forms of structured, democratic and responsible means of local community participation. It may take decades of trial and error to get this mix right.

For this reason, the initial stress is on looking at the means by which local communities can become part of the decision-making processes of local government.

NEED FOR DIVISION OF DECISION-MAKING LABOUR

Since the philosophy of community democracy is for local communities to supplement and complement the other levels of government, it is clear that there would need to be some kind of division of labour in the respective decision-making roles of the various levels.

Those levels which presently regard themselves as ‘higher’ need to be reconceptualised as being merely more remote and abstract, and therefore subject to better controls from our communities. They are not ‘higher’ at all, just more likely to be bought off by powerful forces which systematically undervalue the sort of things in life we hold near and dear.

The aim is to bring those ‘unearthed’ levels of decision-making back into contact with our real lives and real local communities.

WHAT ARE THE APPROPRIATE AREAS FOR LOCAL DECISION-MAKING?

The early Community Reform Agenda has already spelt out some of the types of decision-making for the Precinct Committee/Community Board level. This is in need of review. But make no mistake. This is about reclaiming power for our communities – not merely an academic exercise – and hence a power struggle.

Some examples of the local level of decision-making include setting local budgeting and works priorities; community-based approval processes for minor and major development applications (subject to expert advice); acting as trustees for community lands; and generally serving to restore balance and well-being to life and to protect our communities interests from all manner of exploitative forces.

NOT MERELY IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY CONSULTATION PROCESS

The Community Democracy Movement is not about retaining the old form of Council and merely improving the means of community consultation.

It is about redesigning Council by instituting our local communities firmly into the decision-making process,

Yep, it’s a new paradigm – which seeks to connect people-in-community with the decisions made in our name. And as such will require a real effort to overcome some of the inertia which underpins the old paradigm.

But the ground is already moving due to the old paradigm’s poorly designed foundations.

Rod Oxley advises on anti-corruption
BY MATTHEW JONES Illawarra Mercury
16 Mar, 2010

Local government representatives will line up at a Sydney summit to hear how to prevent corruption, graft and scandal.

And on April 29 at the Novotel Brighton Beach, the man telling them how will be none other than former Wollongong City Council general manager Rod Oxley.

An ICAC inquiry found that Mr Oxley had engaged in “conduct liable to allow, encourage or cause the occurrence of corrupt conduct” during his time at the council.

But Mr Oxley said experiences in Wollongong had given he and former council communications manager Neryl East a “fairly good” insight into what can go wrong.

“The question we’ll be asking is – ‘what would their organisations do in that situation?’,” he said.”

full story
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/rod-oxley-advises-on-anticorruption/1776930.aspx

Wednesday 28th – Thursday 29th April
Novotel Brighton Beach, Sydney

“This national summit will bring together local government risk management professionals from across Australia to discuss key risks facing the nation’s councils and showcase case studies of leading local government risk management practices.

At a time when Australian councils face an increasingly complex risk environment with limited resources, this event will provide detailed information and advice about best practice systems being implemented by leading local governments to effectively manage legal, financial and other risks confronting their organisations.

This summit will feature analysis and case studies involving topics such as: enterprise risk management for local government; incorporating risk management into organisational governance and culture; internal auditing and audit committees; risk management systems; new standards for risk management practices; emergency management; and environmental risk management – including how councils need to address the risks posed by climate change.

The inaugural Local Government Risk Management Summit will also provide unprecedented networking opportunities for local government directors and risk management and auditing professionals, enabling them to share information and benchmark their own organisation’s practices against the leaders in the field.

Speakers at the Local Government Risk Management Summit will include:

…

And Wollongong City Council’s former General Manager, Rod Oxley, who will provide insight into the Wollongong Council corruption scandal and detail the difficulties faced by councils to install a risk management framework that prevents corrupt activity.”
see http://www.halledit.com.au/rm2010

Wollongong City Council letterhead. (letter text retyped by BR)

9 March 2010

Mr B Reyburn,

Dear Bruce

Community Consultation Policy review

Thank you for your interest in the review of Council’s Community Consultation Policy. The Administrators have requested that I respond to you on their behalf.

Thank you for reminding us of the details of the resolution made at the Council meeting on 28 October 2008. We are now in the process of inviting an external consultant to review how we have executed our Community Consultation Policy,

Our Engagement Coordinator will be developing a report with appendices of data which will demonstrate how Council works with the community. A comparison will be made between activities which notify, seek feedback, and inform decision making.

The external assessment of our current policy and practices will include comparisons to good practice and recommendations for improvements, This consultant’s report will be submitted to Council along with the internally produced data report.

Yours faithfully

(signed)
David Farmer
General Manager
Wollongong City Council

WCC Media release: Wednesday, 3 March 2010

Open space planned for Thirroul

Wollongong City Council is seeking community feedback on a concept plan to return Thirroul’s WF Jackson Park to community open space.

Last week Council lodged a Development Application to demolish the old Thirroul Library, Baby Health Clinic and Senior Citizen’s building located at the park.

All three buildings have been closed to the public due to their poor condition and were flagged for demolition when Council opened the new state of the art $10.5 million Thirroul District Library and Community Centre in 2009.

Director of Infrastructure and Works, Peter Kofod, said once the buildings have been demolished, Council will turn WF Jackson Park into a recreational space for the community.

“In the coming weeks Councils will consult with the community to gather ideas on a draft Landscape Concept Plan for the Park,” Mr Kofod said.

“The Concept Plan proposes to create a green space to link Thirroul’s two commercial centres. It will include open space, trees and an area set aside for possible art exhibitions or market stalls.”

To view the Landscape Concept Plan or find out more, come along to a Community Engagement Kiosk at WF Jackson Park, Thirroul, on Saturday, 13 March between 10am and 12 noon.

You can provide your comments on the Landscape Concept Plan to Council by attending the kiosk or visiting www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au. All submissions must be received by Friday, 26 March 2010.

——————–

My message to the Convenor of Neighbourhood Forum Three:

Hi Alice

I think this demolition of these buildings for open space is a waste of  important community resources and that one of the existing buildings should be made into a youth centre.

I have looked at the new community centre from a youth perspective and, while it is ok for some types of young people (the conformists), it is not suitable for those non-conformists who end up wandering the streets because there is no suitable place for them.

Mind you i have been saying this since the days when David Campbell was Lord Mayor and no one connected with Council has ever shown any real interest in taking a realistic attitude to the needs of young people in our part of Wollongong.

I don’t expect that to change now.

All ask from the adults who, while in a position to take action to provide a creative alternative,  refuse to address this social problem is they don’t complain about bored kids out on the streets at night.

cheers

Bruce