Government Services
Our extensive experience working across two levels of government and leading statutory and strategic planning departments throughout Victoria, including the Cities of Port Phillip, Moonee Valley and Melton, and the Shire of Moyne, enables us to provide a range of specialised services designed to support planning and development teams, particularly within local government.
This experience is complemented by senior roles in the private sector, awarding us a unique understanding of the objectives, motivations, and expectations of developers. As a result, we are well positioned to identify practical and acceptable solutions, navigate competing interests, and achieve balanced, successful outcomes for all stakeholders.
Examples of the services we offer, include:
- Assessments of planning permit applications and the preparation of reports to delegate and to council, including advocacy at VCAT
- Preparation of planning scheme amendment documentation
- Preparation of reports and submissions relating to various external projects and planning scheme amendments
- Lodgement and management of planning permit applications where council is both the applicant and the responsible authority
- Facilitating workshops and training programs, including planning 101 for Councillors and council professionals, team building, strengthening collaboration between statutory and strategic planning teams, managing difficult customers, mediation and conflict resolution techniques, managing relationships with councillors
- Short term secondments in Senior Executive and Senior Planning roles
- Customer experience reviews and enhancements for council planning services
- Mentoring and coaching for council staff at all levels
- Preparation of VCAT summaries of Council and “Red Dot” decisions
- Development of protocols to strengthen relationships between councillors and planners
- Review of planning delegations, team operations, performance, organisational structures, and service delivery, including benchmarking against comparable councils, conducting file audits, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and statutory timeframes.
- Independent chairing and facilitation of community consultation and public meetings.
