Investigation Into Corruption Allegations ... - …

1 Investigation Into Corruption Allegations Affecting wollongong City council Corruption prevention recommendations implementation plan Please complete this schedule with information about how your agency plans to implement the Commission's relevant Corruption prevention recommendations arising from the Investigation into Corruption Allegations affecting wollongong City council . The implementation plan should include details of the actions, timeframes and the organisation or individual responsible for addressing each recommendation. Please provide the name of a contact person in your agency from whom we can seek more detail if needed. Please return this completed document to the ICAC in writing and electronically to by no later than 13 February 2009. ESTIMATED. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE RESPONSIBILITY. TIMEFRAME. RECOMMENDATION 2 Register has been prepared awaiting resolution of IT February 2009 Manager City Planning That wollongong City council publish a register of issues for publication on council 's Website.

2 DA determinations (including approvals and refusals). that rely on SEPP 1 (or its equivalent) on its website. RECOMMENDATION 3 council has amended its standard notification letters and Completed November 2008 Manager City Planning That when advertising or notifying development processes and advises applicants of this requirement applications, wollongong City council disclose during the lodgement of DA's. whether the application is accompanied by a SEPP 1. objection (or its equivalent). RECOMMENDATION 8 New monitoring system for resolution and tasks assigned. Completed October 2008 Manager Governance &. That wollongong City council 's internal audit or Information administrative staff be given responsibility for monitoring compliance with council resolutions and reporting on non-compliance. RECOMMENDATION 9 Administration provides regular reports on compliance Ongoing Manager Governance &.

3 That wollongong City council receives regular with resolutions. Information reports on compliance with its resolutions and that the council have regard to these reports when evaluating the performance of the General Manager. NON-SENSITIVE 1. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE ESTIMATED RESPONSIBILITY. TIMEFRAME. RECOMMENDATION 11 council has established an Independent Hearing and Completed September 2008 Manager City Planning That wollongong City council determine clear, Assessment Panel which met for the first time on 7. objective and auditable criteria for deciding which October 2008. council has also clearly outlined which DAs are referred to the Independent Hearing and DA's will be referred to the Panel. This information is Assessment Panel (IHAP). available on council 's website. RECOMMENDATION 12 council has developed a standardised DA assessment Completed November 2008 Manager City Planning That wollongong City council require town planners report template for use by all town planners.

4 Compliance to complete a standardised DA assessment report is monitored through regular audits and included in the prior to issuing any development determination. performance reviews of staff and managers. Compliance with this requirement should be recorded and tied to the regular performance reviews of staff and managers. RECOMMENDATION 13 council has reviewed the assessment process and has Completed and ongoing Manager City Planning That wollongong City council consider modifying its refined the use of workflow to improve monitoring and DA assessment software to mandate completion of reporting. Additional tasks relating to peer review and certain tasks prior to issuing development development departures are being refined to ensure that determination. all tasks have been completed prior to issuing of consent. RECOMMENDATION 14 council has reviewed the responsibilities of council 's Ongoing Manager City Planning That wollongong City council consider the extent to Preliminary Assessment Unit.

5 council will continue more which planning duties can be segregated and allocated practical changes to improve efficiencies as well as to its Preliminary Assessment Unit and/or customer segregate duties to ensure more than one person is service staff. involved in decision making processes. RECOMMENDATION 15 In June 2008 council adopted a new Section 94 plan to Completed June 2008 Manager City Planning That wollongong City council require its regulate the distribution of developer contributions. As Infrastructure Planning Coordinator and the council part of the plan , council has confirmed it does not support (or Administrators) to approve any deferral of the deferral of Section 94 funds. Any decision to defer development contributions. developer funds must be made by a full council . RECOMMENDATION 16 Development Applications are allocated on the basis of Completed and ongoing Manager City Planning That wollongong City council allocate incoming area, workload and specialist skills and are not based on development applications to town planners with no applicants' wishes.

6 Regard to the wishes of applicants. NON-SENSITIVE 2. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE ESTIMATED RESPONSIBILITY. TIMEFRAME. RECOMMENDATION 17 council will release information publicly as soon as Completed and Ongoing Manager City Planning That internal wollongong City council information possible following approval from the Department of relating to the possible rezoning of land be released Planning to exhibit amendments to the Local publicly as soon as possible but in accordance with Environmental plan . It should also be noted that section 66(3) of the EPA Act. recommendations concerning possible re-zonings are published in council 's business papers and publicly available at the time they are formally considered by the council (prior to exhibition). RECOMMENDATION 18 The Electronic document management system now in use Completed and ongoing Manager Governance &. That wollongong City council examine officers' by council will prevent any material being tampered with Information access to and use of files: or removed, and will track all access of each file or material in the system.

7 (a) in response to complaints; and council has implemented a process for review of file (b) as part of its regular internal audit program. access following any complaint. council ensures limited access to files of a confidential nature and restricts access to some sensitive files. council is currently developing a process for periodic audits of staff file access. RECOMMENDATION 19 council has rewritten job descriptions for all senior and Completed November 2008 Manager Human That wollongong City council rewrite the position executive staff, including the General Manager to include Resources descriptions, contracts and performance agreements the desired anti- Corruption behaviour. of the General Manager and relevant senior managers so that the desired anticorruption behaviour is The DLG contract for senior staff is being used for new defined, recognised and rewarded.

8 Appointments and renewal of contracts. RECOMMENDATION 20 Eleven (11) new Protected Disclosure Referral officers Completed October 2008 Internal Ombudsman That wollongong City council appoint and train at trained and dispersed throughout council . least 12 new protected disclosure officers and that all council staff receive training in the Protected Seven (7) other Protected Disclosure officers due to February/March 2009. Disclosures Act 1994 and council 's internal reporting commence training February 2009. system. Training for all staff through e learning Completed and Ongoing RECOMMENDATION 21 Internal Ombudsman commenced employment September Completed and Ongoing General Manager That wollongong City council re-establish the 2008. position of Internal Ombudsman. NON-SENSITIVE 3. RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE ESTIMATED RESPONSIBILITY. TIMEFRAME. RECOMMENDATION 22 Staff vacancies have been reviewed and are either being Completed and Ongoing Manager Human That wollongong City council take action to fill staff removed or filled in accordance with the Local Resources vacancies pursuant to section 348 and section 349 of Government Act.

9 The Local Government Act 1993 as soon as is practicable. RECOMMENDATION 23 New procedure to be implemented which requires all February 2009 Manager Human That where temporary appointments need to be made temporary appointments more than 3 months to be made Resources pursuant to section 351 of the Local through a merit based process (internal or external). Government Act 1993, wollongong City council seek pursuant to the Appointments Policy internal expressions of interest based on the established position description, unless it is impractical to do so. RECOMMENDATION 24 As part of the code of conduct and the induction process. 2012 and Ongoing Manager Governance &. That in 2012, incoming wollongong City Councillors Information receive training in statutory planning responsibilities and Corruption awareness. RECOMMENDATION 25 WCC has an Audit Committee and a Corporate Completed and Ongoing Director Corporate and That wollongong City council 's Audit and Governance Committee with independent members and Community Services Governance Committee be reconstituted to include an independent chair.

10 Additional external membership and an independent chairperson. The independent chairperson of the Committee should The Corporate Governance Committee has oversight of also be a designated Protected Disclosures officer and PD compliance. the Committee itself should oversee compliance with the Protected Disclosures Act 1994. Training in PD has been offered to the independents. The council 's Internal Ombudsman should have The Internal Ombudsman has direct access and attends direct access to the Committee and the independent the meetings. chairperson. RECOMMENDATION 26 Amendments to the Code of Conduct to implement this July 2012 Manager Governance &. That wollongong City council amends its Code of change will be introduced prior to the return of an elected Information Conduct to include a prohibition on binding caucus council . votes in relation to development applications.