Brimbank’s next elected council needs to be a council ‘‘with P plates on’’, according to outgoing administrator Peter Lewinsky.
Mr Lewinsky, who will step down on January 30 to take on a new position as a monitor at Darebin council, said he was confident the council scheduled to be elected in March next year would thrive due to a cultural change created under administrators’ watch since late 2009.
The new council will serve a 17-month term before statewide local government elections in November 2016.
Brimbank’s councillors were sacked and administrators appointed in 2009 following a damning report by Ombudsman George Brouwer into the strife-torn council.
“I’m confident the culture has changed; we’ve got good quality people in here,” Mr Lewinsky said.
“I’d like the community to elect a good, balanced council, representative of the diverse community.”
Looking back on his four-year tenure, Mr Lewinsky believed the administrators had done a “pretty solid job’’ to make Brimbank a better place.
“Look at headlines and the nature of reporting in 2009-10. It’s very different to [today],” he said. ‘‘We’ve got Brimbank off the front page.”
Mr Lewinsky said measures were in place to ensure mistakes of the past weren’t repeated.
“We can only do the best we can to make the policies, procedures, processes, plans and strategies as robust as possible … embed them, drill them deep,” he said.
“If I can guess why the administration was extended in November, 2012, it was that we probably weren’t ready at that stage – we’d just planted the sapling.’’
Mr Lewinsky said council meetings had become more efficient and professional.
“We don’t give people cause to come. They came for the theatre before,” he said.
‘‘We don’t have the political grandstanding and theatrics of other councils.
“I’d like to have been a bit more advanced in the development of our sporting and community facilities. But we’re catching up on that.”
Sunshine Residents Association’s Darlene Reilly said that while she didn’t agree with Mr Lewinsky on some issues – including a preference for ‘‘inappropriate’’ high-rise development – he had done a good job.
“Compared to where we were with elected councillors, it’s been a huge improvement,” she said. “He always took the time and listened when dealing with the public and was courteous.”
Mr Lewinsky said he had a few words of advice for the new council: “Don’t fear engagement. Don’t put yourself in a position where you breed suspicion.
‘‘You should consult and make sure decisions are clearly understood.”
Administrators Jane Nathan and John Watson will continue until next year’s election.
A replacement for Mr Lewinsky will be announced in coming weeks.
