THE Shire of Ravensthorpe was attempting to sever ties with its CEO Paul Richards when he won the race to replace Andrew Hammond in Albany last month.
The relationship between Mr Richards and the Shire Council broke down to the degree that Western Australian Local Government Association’s Workplace Solutions branch was called in to help.
The Shire Council informed Mr Richards on October 16 that it would endorse the appointment of the consultant at a special meeting on October 30.
The Department of Local Government’s Manager of Support and Development Jenny Law travelled to Ravensthorpe at Mr Richards’ invitation on October 22.
One councillor, who did not wish to be identified, said the Department urged the Council to consult with WALGA over a possible severance package.
The councillor said the appointment of WALGA Workplace Solutions was a direct effort to find an “amicable way for us to part company”.
However, the Council delayed the move pending the outcome of Mr Richards’ application to the City of Albany.
The carefully worded minutes from the October 30 meeting said the council was “concerned at the staff turnover rate”.
There had been 17 resignations from the Shire’s office staff since Mr Richards took up a three-year contract at Ravensthorpe in April this year.
The minutes said Council considered “the CEO will require the assistance of an external consultant to determine the reasons for said turnover”.
The motion was passed unanimously, but Mr Richards was offered the role of City of Albany CEO only days later.
Ravensthorpe Shire President Brenda Tilbrook would make no comment on Mr Richards’ performance.
“We are still considering whether we continue with the investigation,” she said.
Earlier on the October 30 agenda, Council took back control of appointment of senior staff “in order to assist the CEO to overcome the current situation, which is severely affecting the functioning of the Shire and the ability to provide services to the community”.
Cr Tilbrook provided Mr Richards with a written reference only after he had won the Albany role. She had no contact with consultant Nicholas Crawley from Beilbey’s.
“I was not contacted until last Wednesday when Mr Richards had already been offered the position,” she said.
Mr Richards finishes work at Ravensthorpe tomorrow and will take up his post in Albany in December.
Albany City Council endorsed Beilbey’s recommendation to appoint Mr Richards last Wednesday night.
The motion was passed 9-1. Only Cr Robert Buegge sought to have the move delayed in order to seek more information.
Mr Richards met with Councillors and senior staff after the meeting.
Cr Nicolette Williams defended Mr Richards’ appointment.
“The recent reporting of the appointment of a new CEO for the City of Albany has been disappointing to say the least,” she said.
“In a time of change, rapid growth and revitalisation of our fair city and the district as a whole, it is imperative to have a leader who optimises these ideals and more.
“Mr Paul Richards is a gregarious, well presented, articulate, extremely well educated man who will bring new energy and enthusiasm to the city.
“His appointment is one I am proud to have endorsed.
“It has been inferred that Mr Richards was the second choice for CEO. This is blatantly untrue.
“He was an equal first choice of the panel.
“As a member of the selection panel, I wholeheartedly stand by the recommendation to Council of Mr Richards’ appointment to CEO and I implore the people of Albany to give him a good Aussie ‘fair go’. ”
Cr Williams said Mr Richards would be an asset to the administration of the City and an exciting role model for upcoming young managers.
“He will, I am sure, inspire change. Staff may come and go, but that happens in Local Government everywhere,” she said.
“And who knows, perhaps a few boats may get rocked, but isn’t that better than any toe-the-line old school fellow who’s been in the system far too long that breeds negativity among staff and the community at large?”
Prior to his Ravensthorpe role, Mr Richards was Superintendent of the WA Police’s State Intelligence Division in February. He had been in the position for 15 months.
City of Albany Mayor Milton Evans is overseas, but said prior to his departure that he welcomed Mr Richards’ appointment and looked forward to working with him for the benefit of Albany.
Mr Richards holds an MBA from Birmingham University and had a 20-year police career in the UK before coming to Western Australia in 2006.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff