Working Together for Better Council Services
In October, ADO & Co Consultancy’s Director, Anthony Ottaway, along with TSIRC officers Larissa Bani, Tom Masters, and Veronica Cowan, visited our Divisional Administration staff on Saibai and Erub, with Bana Sailor joining the team on Erub.
The purpose of the visits was to workshop the challenges we are facing across Divisions in managing Council’s accommodation properties and visitor bookings, as well as to document fuel processes and identify potential efficiencies.
The workshops were highly productive, with staff actively engaged in identifying a range of challenges and potential solutions — including property repairs and maintenance, security, profitability, booking changes and cancellations, no-shows, and issues with payments and invoicing.
Beyond the workshops, Tom delivered procurement training for several staff members on both islands. The training covered Council’s procurement framework, policy and procedures, the Procurement Hub, and associated templates and guidelines. Staff also received guidance on the correct use of the TechnologyOne system for raising internal and external purchase orders, processing goods receipts, and other related functions. Each session also included discussions about identifying and managing conflicts of interest, along with addressing other questions raised by staff.
During the visit, staff also had the opportunity to catch up with Grants Officer Georgina to discuss grant milestone reporting and current challenges. They met with Bana Sailor regarding accommodation matters and checked in with the Erub Environmental Health Workers (EHWs) to discuss their training needs.
Overall, the visits were highly collaborative and productive. Cairns-based staff commented that it was a great pleasure to spend time in the Divisions and connect with local teams in person.
