Significant reduction in Baw Baw staff turnover

A significant reduction in staff turnover has been reported in Baw Baw Shire’s 2018/19 annual report.

The report was recently adopted by council after the document was signed off by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO).

The report presents a detailed account of council’s operational and financial performance.

Chief executive officer Alison Leighton said the report revealed a “significant reduction” in staff turnover rates, falling from 20 per cent in 2017/18 to 14 per cent for 2018/19.

She said the reduced turnover reflected council’s intention to make Baw Baw Shire a “sought after local government destination.”

Outgoing mayor Mikaela Power’s overview in the report said in a time of unprecedented growth, councillors were committed to ensuring Baw Baw did not lose its “sense of community and small-town appeal.”

Ms Leighton said with growth came the challenge to ensure council continued to keep up with increasing demand and provide appropriate facilities and services to its communities.

Cr Power said one of the great achievements for business and tourism in the past year was achieving one million visitors for the first time.

“We also nearly doubled the external funding secured for crucial projects from $5 million in 17/18 to $9 million in 18/19 – a great testament to council’s commitment to community advocacy.

“In particular, the funding secured for a new Warragul early learning centre, the Drouin early learning centre extension and a new kinder for Trafalgar has been vitally important,” she said.

The report details council’s activity across four main objectives of its council plan: vibrant communities, thriving economy, safe and sustainable environments; and, organisational excellence.

Some of the “fast facts” about the shire revealed:

26,414 rateable properties;

22,398 kerbside garbage collection bins; 22,036, kerbside recyclable collection bins; 774 registered food premises;

9837 registered cats and dogs;

247,941 visits to indoor aquatic facilities and 14,332 to outdoor pools;

167,692 library visits; and,

23,640 meals on wheel delivered.

Council also received 600 sealed local road requests, 450 planning applications, 1759 animal management requests.

Since opening in November 2018 until the end of the financial year, more than 24,000 people attended events at the refurbished West Gippsland Arts Centre.

Council also implemented a new phone system that helped to reduce customer call wait times.

Phone calls were answered within 52 seconds, down from 91 seconds and incoming correspondence was answered within an average 24 days, down from 34 days.

Cr Danny Goss said the past financial year had been marked by significant achievements.

“On top of the major projects delivered and funding secured, we’ve also delivered real improvements in customer service.

“The roll out of our council pop-up rural outreach program has provided a means for our more remote communities to engage with us directly, while the introduction of our online live chat service has been a great success with more than 90 per cent of live chat inquiries resolved there and then,” he said.

Cr Keith Cook said he was pleased council had completed more than 21,000 fire hazard inspections.

“How important is that for the officers to go out and give advice to residents on making their homes safe is just amazing,” he said.