THERE IS UNDOUBTEDLY A CASE FOR CHANGE IN COUNCIL

Issued by: Southern Metropolitan Council

On 10 November 1997, this Council appointed a consortium of consultants to conduct a review of our organisation. This has taken two months, but good work has resulted in a report which presents a case for change.

There is undoubtedly a case for change in Council

Councillors and staff throughout Council are in agreement on that issue. The past week has seen a series of feedback sessions and workshops around Council, where stakeholders expressed their support for the `Case for Change' report, which marks the end of Phase 1 of the Organisational Review process.

The key message of the report is: Council potentially has what it needs to deliver better services.

The Organisational Review team has identified basic problem areas within the five councils.

• The first relates to our structures. These were not based on a concept of variable or `owned' resources. They are cumbersome, uneven and unsustainable. Our management is top heavy and there is a lack of prioritisation. There is duplication and overlap at every level - inter-department, inter-council and between local and provincial government. There is confusion about roles; hence there is lack of accountability.
• The second relates to our methods of operation. The report shows that the structures are internally focussed, not customer oriented. Also, there is an absence of a performance management system within Council.
• Third, wonderful policies adopted by councils have not been translated into productive business and operational plans. Our computer systems are incompatible.
• Fourth, our staff are all expected to work on different conditions of service, inherited from the past. The benefits we pay to staff have been described as `over generous'.
• Fifth, the report also identified lack of focus on core services as draining of Council's scarce resources.

The conclusion of the report is that Council is not achieving its strategic objectives. There is a need to change, and to change fast.

However, the report does not only talk about what the five councils do wrong. It also identifies good practices within the organisation, such as successful rationalisation of depots in waste management between three of the MLCs, examples of good working relationships and attempts at cutting costs through using a pool of secretaries.

The challenge we face requires political courage to implement. We will be depending on senior management and workers alike to overhaul the existing culture and work ethic at Council. It will no longer be good enough for staff to turn up for work - they will have to become performance driven and customer focussed.

The media and public already know about the financial crisis of Johannesburg. What needs to be stressed is that there will always be limited resources available to local government, and we have to face the need for a major paradigm shift.

So: where to from here?

At its meeting next week, the Committee of 10 will consider a proposal on the second phase of the Review which will aim at developing appropriate staff structures.

Released by: Councillor Kenny Fihla Chairperson: Committee of 10 Chairperson: Organisational Review Steering Committee

General queries regarding the Organisational Review process: Ms Xabsi Luzipho (Project Manager) at 407-6525 or 082-8863354

Media queries: Muff Anderson (Or Communications Co-ordinator) at 407-6315 or 083-2742274