The fallout from the recent restructure of the Upper Lachlan Shire’s works and operations team has an ex-councillor calling for answers.
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Sandra Bill served for 12 years: on the Crookwell Council from 2000 to 2004, and post-amalgamation until 2012.
She is an advocate for the council, but vocal about the “duress” its workforce has endured.
The Upper Lachlan Shire Council is obliged to be transparent, she says, after the council late last week moved to assure ratepayers it was committed to consult with staff and the United Services Union, but would also maintain “staff privacy” during “the realignment”.
The “council is responsible for how they spend ratepayers’ money, but they are [also] responsible to the community they represent,” she told the Crookwell Gazette.
“Local government is our grassroots and should be in consultation with community.
“You come into a community and find out what makes it breathe, its heart beat. You’re in there because you want to make a difference.”
The loss of two experienced senior managers would have flow-on effects and ULSC had not shown it really understood this, she said.
The council has told the Gazette there is no intent to downgrade the workforce.
However, the union has said if the council loses the contracts to maintain state roads, it could affect staff jobs.
The contracts are worth about $3 million to the shire, Mrs Bill said.
The Crookwell Gazette has asked Roads & Maritime Services to confirm this.
Mrs Bill added that, during her time on the council, they fought for the RMS contracts, and on accreditation to complete the work.
“We worked hard to keep them,” she said.
“If the council loses that work there’s no future for the works department.
“There will be no outdoor staff to manage. If 20 people go, first you’ll lose a family, and then a school teacher...”
She has called on the council to respond and is considering calling a public meeting to query ULSC’s agenda and whether the council had maintained sufficient expertise to hold on to the RMS contracts.
A statement by Upper Lachlan Shire Council last week read: “ULSC has reached an in-principle agreement with the United Services Union (the union) on the realignment of the Works and Operations Department, with the matter adjourned until 15 January 2019.
“Council has worked, and will continue to work, in consultation with staff and the union to achieve an outcome that satisfies all parties, while ensuring expectations of our ratepayers remain at the fore.
“The purpose of the realignment is to improve productivity and accountability for our community through better asset management and delivery of infrastructure services, including improved project management of major projects.
“To ensure staff privacy is maintained, Council is unable to comment further on the realignment.”