Maranoa Regional Council votes to reinstate portfolios

Maranoa Regional Council has brought back councillor portfolios in a bid to divide the workload, but not all councillors agree it will be in the council’s best interest.

Maranoa Regional Council has voted to reinstate councillor portfolios. Photo: Kristina Ayers.

Maranoa Regional Council has voted to bring back councillor portfolios, however not all councillors were in favour of the motion.

At their June 26 meeting, councillors voted in favour of reinstating councillor portfolios, which would put individual councillors at the helm of particular council functions.

While councillor portfolios are not a requirement for council, Maranoa Regional Council previously had portfolios but they were removed about a four years ago.

The item was added as a late agenda item by mayor Wendy Taylor, and discussed during the June 26 ordinary meeting.

Deputy mayor Cameron O’Neil was the first speaker, and emphasised his support for councillor portfolios.

Deputy Mayor Cameron O'Neil voted in support of councillor portfolios.

“In my initial two terms of council we had portfolios, and the community really benefited from having those thematic leads,” Mr O’Neil said.

“I want to make it very clear that at no point do having portfolios diminish the responsibility that is borne by all of us by taking the oath under the Local Government Act of Queensland.

“We are all responsible for all of the things that council has to manage but this allows councillors to lead in the thematic areas which are really important to our region.”

Councillor John Birkett voted against councillor portfolios.

Councillor John Birkett, the only councillor to vote against the motion, said he was “probably against a stacked deck”.

“I do see some benefits in it,” Mr Birkett said.

However, he said when portfolios were previously active, there were concerns that some councillors were in the wrong positions.

“I can see it as a self-promotion thing … we don’t have a budget, we don’t have any power so people potentially could get the wrong idea or or potentially get promised something.

“The issues will still have to come back to council for a meeting to get ruled on.

“If it’s going to get up, I will do it but I’m not a fan.”

Mrs Taylor said she thought it would allow councillors to do their jobs better.

Mayor Wendy Taylor voted in support of councillor portfolios.

“Being a councillor last term where we had to be across everything, it just wasn’t possible; You didn’t feel like you owned anything,” Mrs Taylor said.

She said the success of portfolios will depend on councillors taking responsibility, asking for help if they’re struggling and revising the policy when necessary.

Councillor Jane Vincent also voiced her support for portfolios.

Councillor Jane Vincent voted in support of councillor portfolios.

“I believe with knowledge comes power and I don’t use it in a self-promotion manner,” Ms Vincent said.

“I look forward to sharing my learnings with my fellow councillors to ensure that they know what I know.

“I do believe portfolios are imperative as we continue to look to review our organisational structure and our material and services cost, to ensure we are investing in the right places to deliver the right outcomes for our ratepayers.”

Councillor Meryl Brumpton also said she thanked the mayor and deputy mayor for their consideration of individual councillors’ strengths and interests when allocating portfolios.

Councillor Meryl Brumpton voted in support of councillor portfolios.

“I think it’s good to have people that can delve deeply into various matters and be able to speak on behalf of the others if we need to,” Mrs Brumpton said.

Councillor Johanne Hancock said she thought the expectation for all councillors to be across every function of council was unreasonable.

Councillor Johanne Hancock voted in support of councillor portfolios.

“With no portfolios … council was drowning,” Mrs Hancock said.

“There were over 44 different functions of council. I don’t believe that we could be across those 44 different functions of council.

“Things were missed and balls were dropped, and we know that because of the amount of carryover projects that we’ve had for this term of council to deal with.

“It’s not about power; It’s about knowledge and process.”

She said irrespective of portfolios, that councillor is still only one voice at the table, and ever councillor will still have their say in all matters.

Mrs Hancock said she appreciated councillor portfolios when she worked in council as a staff member.

Eight of nine councillors ultimately voted in favour of the move in the June 26 meeting.

In the July 10 ordinary meeting, councillors discussed to reallocate the community safety portfolio from Councillor Peter Flynn to Amber Davis, and planning and building from Ms Davis to Mr Flynn.

Council has not yet confirmed if the reinstatement of portfolios will mean councillors are once again allowed to speak directly with journalists on behalf of council.