All three Snowy Valleys Council senior directors were sacked last Wednesday in a move that has highlighted the lack of cohesion in the forcibly merged Council.
Gus Cox (Director Strategy, Community and Development), Robyn Harvey (Director Internal Services) and Matthew Christensen (Director Assets and Infrastructure) had their contracts terminated by general manger Matthew Hyde.
Mr Hyde said the decision came following a review of the council’s senior leadership team, and in consultation with councillors.
“As an organisation Snowy Valleys Council (SVC) must evolve in order to continue to deliver quality, efficient and sustainable services for our community,” Mr Hyde said.
“We have been working towards better understanding our resourcing requirements. Specifically, to ensure that we are financially sustainable over the long term and able to generate sufficient funds to provide the levels of service and infrastructure agreed with our community.
“Over the coming months we will be undertaking further organisational redesigns to ensure that Council is aligned with our community and organisational priorities. A new structure will be implemented by June 30, 2020.”
Those comments come less than a year since the council endorsed the current organisational structure, and just over two years since it was first put in place by the administrator, Paul Sullivan.
Mr Sullivan also appointed the three directors, in July of 2017. Mr Hyde was later appointed in October of that year by the current council, after the administration period ended.
The council has struggled to balance its books since the merger of the Tumut and Tumbarumba councils, and rising employee costs has been identified as a problem that needs to be addressed.
“While transitions may seem disruptive in the short-term I am confident that we have a committed and skilled workforce who continue to provide a high standard of service to the SVC communities,” Mr Hyde said.
“Council treats the professionalism and privacy of staff very seriously and our outgoing directors have made significant contributions to the initial establishment of SVC and I thank them for their contributions and wish them well in their future endeavours.”
The directors held the three most senior portfolios in the council – aside from the general manager.
Ms Harvey, who came to the council from the private sector, oversaw finance, human resources, information technology and governance.
Mr Christensen, who had previously been director of assets at the Tumut council, had charge of Snowy Valleys’ infrastructure works and services.
Mr Cox, who was part of the leadership team of the Tumbarumba council, had responsibility for development, planning, environmental services and strategic planning at Snowy Valleys Council.
All three were employed under a performance-based contract, in accordance with the Local Government Act. The Times understands each were given 38 weeks’ pay as part of their severance package.
