Monitors appointed, a perplexing extension, and a prayer hall shutdown - #533

A bonus pre-Christmas update from the Local Government News Roundup, including:

• Monitors appointed to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
• A “perplexing” extension of monitors at Kingston
• Victoria’s new rate cap comes with new waste charge guidelines
• A mayor returns from leave of absence
• Queensland mayors and councillors to receive pay rises
• A South Australian council announces its new CEO
• Canterbury Bankstown shuts down illegal prayer hall
• UK Government warns councils against four-day working weeks

Transcript

The Victorian Government has announced the appointment of two municipal monitors to oversee governance improvements at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

Local Government Minister Nick Staikos said Prue Digby and Rebecca McKenzie will take on the 12-month monitoring roles, starting January 19th.

Ms Digby has held multiple previous monitor roles, including at South Gippsland and Moonee Valley. It will be Ms McKenzie’s first municipal monitor appointment since leaving her role as CEO of Glen Eira City Council.

The monitors will work with the council to strengthen governance processes, decision-making procedures, and support the wellbeing of both councillors and staff.

Mayor Anthony Marsh welcomed the appointment. He said on social media that he had previously “sought advice about the appointment of a monitor” and sees it as a constructive step.

The Council said it will cooperate fully with the monitors and that its focus remains firmly on delivering projects, services and outcomes for the community.

The monitoring period will run until January 2027.

Kingston Council has confirmed that Victorian Government-appointed Municipal Monitors will remain in place until June 2026 - an extension of six months.

John Tanner AM and John Watson have reportedly submitted an interim report to the Minister for Local Government.

However, Mayor Georgina Oxley says neither councillors nor council CEO Peter Bean have seen the report or been told why the extension is needed.

"Councillors are perplexed by the announcement," Cr Oxley said. "We will continue to lead our community with integrity and without fear or favour."

The Monitors are expected to deliver a final report in mid-2026.

The Victorian Government has confirmed a 2.75% council rate cap will apply next financial year, aligned with the Consumer Price Index.

New guidelines have also been introduced for waste management charges, to ensure they reflect actual service costs and improve consistency across councils, according to the Minister for Local Government Nick Staikos.

The government says that since the “Fair Go Rates System” was introduced in 2016, the average rate cap has been 2.3%, down from 6% annual increases in the previous decade.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Brett Owen has returned from his leave of absence effective immediately, resuming his full Mayoral and Councillor duties after taking eight days off for work reasons.

He has thanked Deputy Mayor Cr Liz Roberts and fellow Councillors for their support during his absence.

Latrobe and South Gippsland councils have welcomed news that the state's first publicly owned wind generation project will be delivered in Gippsland.

The SEC has announced their acquisition of the Delburn Wind Farm, which will be completed by 2028. The project will be located across both council areas and is expected to create around 300 local jobs during construction.

Latrobe City Mayor Sharon Gibson says the region has powered the state for a hundred years and is ready to continue with its highly skilled workforce. She described it as the biggest investment the State Government has made since Loy Yang was built.

South Gippsland Shire Mayor Nathan Hersey says the project will deliver significant long-term benefits, supporting local businesses, workers and the broader economy.

The project is also expected to deliver over $22 million in community benefit sharing programs over 35 years.

Canterbury Bankstown Council has issued a cease use directive to shut down an illegal prayer hall operated by cleric Wissam Haddad at the Al Madina Dawah Centre.

The council says the site was only approved as a medical centre and has never had authorisation to operate as a place of worship.

This is the second time Haddad has been ordered to close unauthorised premises, with Council warning of potential fines up to $6,000 for corporations if non-compliance continues.

Air quality tests have confirmed low risk to the Yass Valley community following a truck fire on the Hume Highway on Saturday.

Yass Valley Council says it has received many requests for information about air quality following the incident.

In a statement, the council said air monitoring by Fire and Rescue NSW shows elevated particulate levels were confined to the immediate fire site. The incident involved lithium-ion batteries, but testing at nearby homes showed no elevated readings.

As a precaution, Council is reminding residents to wash down outdoor surfaces, thoroughly wash home-grown produce, and flush rainwater tanks if concerned.

Queensland mayors and councillors will receive pay rises of 3.25% to 4.5% from the next financial year, with larger councils receiving the smaller increase and smaller councils getting the higher raise.

The Local Government Remuneration Commission said it had considered inflation, the need to attract quality candidates especially in regional areas, and maintaining fiscally responsible wage growth when making its decision. (Source: ABC News)

Light Regional Council has appointed Darryl Whicker as Chief Executive Officer, effective late March 2026, bringing over 20 years of local government experience, including his current role at the District Council of Grant.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Mark McShane will continue in the role until March and assist with onboarding to ensure a smooth transition.

The District Council of Grant announced Mr Whicker’s resignation after six years of service, with his final day at the council set for February 23.

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz has been appointed interim president of Local Government New Zealand, with Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon as interim vice-president.

Both will serve until July next year when the LGNZ membership elects a permanent president.

UK Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has warned all English councils against adopting four-day working weeks.

BBC News reported that the secretary has written to councils, telling them that offering full-time pay for part-time work without justification could indicate potential failure.

While South Cambridgeshire District Council became the first UK council to permanently adopt a four-day week, the government maintains that councils should provide services five days a week.

That’s despite evidence from Scottish trials showing increased productivity and improved staff well-being.

The New York City Council has allocated $1.5 million to launch a guaranteed income program for 60 young New Yorkers aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness, providing them with $1,200 monthly for nine months plus a one-time $5,000 payment to help secure stable housing.

The initiative builds on the Council's historic first guaranteed income program for pregnant mothers and aims to support youth self-sufficiency through flexible cash assistance and wraparound services.