Public Statement from Derwent Valley Council
Response to the independent review of Council operations
The Derwent Valley Council is informing the community about actions being taken following the independent review conducted by local government professional Paul West. This comprehensive review examined Council operations, meeting procedures, and community engagement practices.
Review findings
The review has provided valuable insights into our processes, highlighting both strengths and areas where we can enhance our service delivery. While identifying areas needing attention, many of which are legacy issues, the review has given us a clear pathway forward for improvement.
Action plan
Council has developed a comprehensive action plan to address the review's recommendations over the next 12 months. Implementation of several key initiatives has already begun:
Governance improvements:
- Enhanced support structures for Council's new Audit Panel, which has already met and established a clear work plan
- Strengthening overall governance frameworks
- Updating policies and procedures to reflect best practices
- Implementing better reporting systems
Meeting procedures:
- Improving quality control measures in the preparation of meeting minutes
- Enhancing how notices of motion are constructed
- Ensuring financial reporting is clear and detailed
- Introducing better support mechanisms for Councillors during meetings
Community engagement:
- Reviewing and updating all lease and licence agreements
- Implementing standardised consultation processes for facility users
- Developing clear protocols for community group engagement
- Ensuring transparent decision-making processes for public land use matters
Ongoing support
To ensure thorough implementation of these recommendations, Council has retained Paul West to assist with the progress and completion of the review's recommendations.
Report confidentiality
While Council is committed to transparency, we have received legal advice that releasing the full report would breach the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (Tas). Therefore, some names in the report have been redacted to ensure compliance with privacy requirements and therefore the report will be published on our website with thoses names redacted. However, Council remains focused on implementing the key recommendations to improve governance and community engagement.
Moving forward
The Council's detailed response to the review is available on our website Independent Review Report and follows detailed consideration by councillors at the March Council meeting. We will provide regular updates to our community on our progress as we implement these important improvements.
The Council is fully committed to these enhancements, which will help us build better connections with our community and ensure our decision-making processes are robust and transparent.
Performance Improvement Direction to Council - June 2025
In response to the findings of the Independent Review Report undertaken by the Independent Advisor, Paul West, the Minister of Local Government has issued a Performance Improvement Direction to Council.
The Performance Improvement Direction (PID) is published on the website along with a progress report outlining the actions taken by Council to address the recommendations in the Independent Review Report as of 30 June 2025.
For more information, please contact the Derwent Valley Council phone 6261 8500 dvcouncil@dvc.tas.gov.au