Public briefing hears outcome of independent review
- intouch Magazine
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Davidson Business Advisory has confirmed in a Public Briefing to Councillors and the community that its independent review of City of Newcastle's processes, procedures and performance has found no instances of fraud, corruption, breaches of legislation or maladministration.
Rather, the review has found City of Newcastle to be a well-managed and high performing organisation, with numerous examples of best practice in the way that it operates and serves the community.
Davidson outlined 20 recommendations arising from their review along with actions for improvement across the six themes of general and financial governance, compliance, major projects, engagement and organisational culture.
The review was completed following a unanimous resolution of Councillors at the 10 December 2024 Ordinary Council meeting.
More than 800 public submissions from 548 individuals were considered during the review, alongside around 260 internal City of Newcastle documents and numerous one-one-one interviews with staff, Councillors and community members.
Davidson Business Advisory's Colin Jensen, who served as the CEO of Brisbane City Council for more than a decade, said the report's recommendations offer avenues for continued growth and excellence.
"Davidson Business Advisory was engaged to provide an impartial evaluation of City of Newcastle's current practices, aiming to enhance performance and maintain the highest standards of public service," Mr Jensen said.
"Every document and submission was considered by the reviewers, assessing them against City of Newcastle's adopted policies, processes and procedures to identify where there was evidence of best practice or opportunities for better practice.
"Overall, City of Newcastle was found to be a well-managed and high-performing organisation, with numerous examples of best practice highlighted in the repot.
"The review includes 20 actionable recommendations designed to enhance City of Newcastle’s processes, ensure the organisation operates with the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and reinforce public trust in its ability to serve the community effectively."
City of Newcastle’s independent Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) was consulted at each phase of the review and accepted the final report ahead of the public briefing.
ARIC Chairman Stephen Coates highlighted the integrity of the process and praised City of Newcastle for its commitment to continuous improvement.
"The City of Newcastle Audit Risk and Improvement Committee has overseen independent consultants, Davidson, who conducted a thorough governance review," Mr Coates said.
"The final report highlights many positive findings, confirming that City of Newcastle is a well-managed, high-performing organisation with several examples of best practice. Importantly, there were no issues related to fraud, corruption, legislative breaches, or maladministration.
"While the report largely affirms the Council’s strong performance, it also includes 20 suggestions for improvement, aimed at building on the current success, rather than addressing any issues of failure."
The full report will be tabled to the Ordinary Council Meeting on 27 May for endorsement by Councillors.
The full statement from Mr Coates on the report findings can be viewed on the City of Newcastle website.
Davidson Business Advisory has worked with more than 100 local governments across Australia and are experienced in undertaking similar governance and performance reviews.
