Council Recognised at Local Government Awards
Published on 13 June 2024
Clarence Valley Council has been recognised at the Local Government Professionals Award dinner held in Sydney on Thursday, 6 June 2024.
It was a big night for Clarence Valley Council, as finalists in five categories including Special Project Initiative, Innovative Leadership, Partnership and Collaboration, People Workplace Wellbeing categories as well the Emerging Leaders category.
Our Planning Portal Integration project, which highlights our commitment to enhancing customer experience while also focusing on simplifying online application processes, received the Judges Award in the Special Project Initiative category.
Clarence Valley Council’s General Manager, Laura Black said she has immense pride in the contributions of our staff, and the positive impact we're making within our community.
“Staff have worked hard on making the transition to the NSW Planning Portal as streamlined as possible and as one of the first councils in the State to have completed the integration with our corporate systems it was great to see it recognised as a winner at the Local Government Professionals Awards”.
Nick Harvey, our esteemed Financial Accountant, also earned a finalist position in the Emerging Leader category. Nick has injected enthusiasm and innovative thinking into our organisation, consistently stepping up to the challenges presented with unwavering dedication.
The tireless efforts of our staff in restoring civil infrastructure in the wake of eight consecutive Natural Disasters have also garnered recognition in the Innovative Leadership category for their achievements in completing multiple years works in just one year despite enduring multiple floods and fires.
A great example of Council’s collaborative efforts was also recognised with our Rediscover Grafton project being a finalist in the Partnerships and Collaboration category. Through close cooperation with internal teams, local businesses, and community groups, we've revitalised the Grafton CBD, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment and enhancing the appeal of the main street.
Lastly, our Grow Your Own trainee and apprentice program also earned recognition as a finalist in the People, Workplace Wellbeing category. We're all about tackling our staffing needs head-on by training up our apprentices and trainees across various roles, from People and Culture personnel to Plant Mechanics.
“Although we didn't take out an individual category award, to be recognised as finalists in five categories from hundreds of nominations and to receive one of three special Judges Awards goes to show that we are delivering on commitments made and that the continuous improvements we have been implementing in recent years are recognised by our peers also” Ms. Black said.