Municipalities from around the region are considering sharing services, according to a media statement issued by Murrindindi Shire Council:

Murrindindi Shire Council, at its April 26 meeting, endorsed a proposal to work more collaboratively with several other councils from around the Hume region. The proposal seeks funding from the Victorian Government to implement a transformational shared service improvement program.

The proposal has come about following significant research by the Victorian Government into the viability and sustainability of small rural councils in Victoria and around the country.

‘The Hume Regional Councils Transformation Program’ proposal aims to improve financial sustainability of rural councils, reduce duplication of systems and services and gain greater buying power through shared procurement.

The proposal identifies five key service functions that the Program would focus on – business systems, emergency management, capital works procurement, waste management and regulatory services.

If successful, the first stage of the Program would involve determining exactly how the shared services approach would work across each of the service functions and for each of the councils involved.

Murrindindi Shire Council Mayor Sandice McAulay said the Program would provide an opportunity to align our business systems and processes with neighbouring councils to enable resource sharing and co-ordinated service delivery.

“Given councils all over the country deliver a similar set of services to their communities, and face the same challenges, it makes sense for us to work more collaboratively,” Cr McAulay said.

“The proposal is not about reducing staff or centralising services, but instead delivering consistently high-quality services in a more cost-effective way.

“The shared services approach would help us be more innovative and agile in our goal of streamlining service delivery and improving customer outcomes”, Cr McAulay said.