Our GM resigned in March this year. Latrobe’s General Manager Gerald Monson has been holding the fort in the meantime.

Kentish and Latrobe Councils have agreed to share Gerald’s services for  12 months starting in July. It will be a 50/50 arrangement. Council will re-assess then.

Kentish and Latrobe have a formal resource sharing alliance.  Having Gerald working for both Councils (I hope) will get resource sharing happening more easily. He comes with years of experience in local government and from my observation plenty of energy.

Some years ago Latrobe and Kentish set up a Joint Authority. It failed. It was painful and for some has left a sour taste. I would oppose any return to the prior arrangement.

Waratah/Wynyard and Circular Head already share a GM. We are not the first. I note that Circular Head Council want to see the arrangement continue. Waratah/Wynyard will vote on it soon.

Resource sharing, amalgamations and Local Government reforms will be a big topic of discussion over the next 2 years. We will see how the next 12 months goes.