Policies

This policy sets out Council's commitment to manage and care for its assets in a sustainable way and to assist in the achievement of its vision and meet the service and infrastructure needs of the community now and into the future. 

Indigo Shire Council has funds available for low interest loans to owners of heritage properties for capital works to conserve, preserve or enhance Indigo’s heritage properties.

Loan applications are assessed by the Indigo Heritage Advisory Committee and recommendations are made to Council for decision. All loans are for a maximum period of three years.

This policy provides direction and guidance on the management of the employment of the Chief Executive Officer including recruitment, appointment, contracting, performance monitoring and review, and end of contract processes. It also sets out the terms of reference for the CEO Employment and Remuneration Advisory Committee. 

This policy demonstrates the strong commitment of Indigo Shire Council to a culture of child safety and outlines the policies and practices we have developed to keep children under the age of 18 safe from harm, including abuse. This policy applies to all Indigo Shire staff, Councillors, Committee members and volunteers associated with Indigo Shire Council.

This policy was updated and endorsed by Council on 26 July, 2022.

Climate change is a real and urgent threat to our environment, economy, health and lifestyle. 

Climate change impacts are experienced across the organisation and community, and mitigation and adaptation actions are implemented by Councillors, staff and community members.

This policy applies to Council services and assets. It is to be considered when Council and its officers make recommendations and decisions, or design and review programs, processes and projects.

The Community Engagement Policy 2021 replaces Council’s 2018 Policy and has been updated to comply with the new Victorian Local Government Act 2020.

The intent of the legislation is to assist Councils to build capacity in community engagement and for deliberative engagement to become usual practice, rather than an exceptional exercise.

This policy confirms our commitment to the community on the principles and values that guide our community engagement. 

The new Policy was adopted by Council on 23 February 2021.

In 2015, the Victorian Ombudsman released two reports which highlighting the need for all Councils to ensure that their complaints handlings systems are effective, efficient and promote fairness, integrity, respect for human rights and administrative excellence.

This policy has been developed after a review of our existing complaints handling process to provide a clear and transparent framework for the handling, recording and reporting of complaints from the public.

It was adopted by Council on Tuesday 22 February 2022.

Councillors and staff will frequently be in receipt of confidential information acquired during the normal conduct of their duties with Council. It is Council’s responsibility to ensure that such information is treated confidentially, so as not to harm, prejudice or compromise the interests of Council or any individual or organisation, or enable any individual or organisation to gain a financial advantage.

This policy aims to support Councillors in balancing the right and duty to full and open public debate, transparency in decision making, to inform the public, and to consult with constituents about council business with the interest Council has in preventing disclosure of confidential information.

This policy seeks to provide overarching principles on the management of confidentiality and seeks to minimise the use of confidential decision making in Council.

This policy supports councillors and members of delegated committees to perform their role, as defined under the Local Government Act 2020, by ensuring that expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of their role are reimbursed.

The policy is intended to ensure that councillors and members of delegated committees are supported to perform their duties without disadvantage.

This policy provides the broad parameters for provision of Council services on days declared as Catastrophic Fire Danger Days and should not be confused with Council’s response to actual emergency events.

The occurrence of an actual emergency event, which may or may not be on a declared Catastrophic Fire Danger Day, would trigger activation of Council’s Municipal Emergency Management Plan which would take precedence over this policy. In the event of an actual emergency impacting the Shire, a decision to close any / all services will be made on a case by case basis. This decision will be made by the Chief Executive Officer or Senior Management or as directed by Emergency Services.