THE CONTENTIOUS DELEGATED AUTHORITY ISSUE AT LAUNCESTON'S TOWN HALL

 

Delegated authority cascades through the entire organisation, from the Council to the Executive Team; from the executive team to senior managers; and from senior managers to the implementing teams they manage. 

A Program Manager may be accountable for the financial management of a number of projects, each of which is led by a Project Manager, who manages a number of teams. The responsibility for day-to-day financial management tasks is delegated down through the line management structure. At the same time, the accountability process moves back up through the hierarchical structure as people report back on progress. 

Importantly, 'The Council' is ultimately accountable in law for the financial management of  Council expenditure.

Everyone in the organisation operates within the rules set by their level of delegated authority. At a project level, this means taking responsibility for a wide range of tasks that have been delegated, and being accountable to line managers for delivering results, monitoring progress and reporting on decisions made.

Some 'delegated authorities' pertain to emergency situations and some pertain to circumstances where 'officers' are required to act in situations where their expertise is required in order to achieve an appropriate outcome.

A copy of the 'Delegated Authorities' must be available at Town Hall to whomever wishes to inspect it and many Councils will provide a copy to members upon request for their research – that has not been always the case at Launceston's Town Hall. 

For Example see https://www.gcc.tas.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/provisions-for-gm-2020.pdf ... & https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Council/Legislation-and-Policy/Delegations-Register

Over time, Launceston Council has increasing engaged Aldermen/Councillors in contentiously 'delegating of their authority' upon the General Manager's (AKA CEO) initiative and currently to the extent where some claim the GM/AKA CEO's role currently distorts the city's governance.

This being the case there is an URGENT NEED to cancel ALL delegated authorities at Launceston's Town Hall and reinstate the ONES OF NECESSITY line item by line item. If there is to be INDIRECT REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY in the city, its 'credibility' needs to be restored and forthwith!

Under the Tasmanian Local Govt. Act 1993 the GM/AKA CEO has extraordinary powers – SEE SECTION 62/2 – that together with his delegated authority it can be claimed ultimately distorts the 'governance process' in inappropriate ways. Thus Launcestonians need to be mindful of all this when voting inn the Local Govt. Election.