Administrator

1. Administrator 

Viv-May.jpg

The appointment of Mr Viv May PSM as an Administrator for Wingecarribee Shire Council follows the suspension of the Councillors by Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock on 12 March 2021.

On 1 September 2021, the NSW Government announced a Public Inquiry will be held into Wingecarribee Shire Council. The Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock has also suspended the councillors, reappointed the interim administrator and deferred the 4 December Council election until the public inquiry was completed.

On Thursday 14 July 2022 the Minister for Local Government The Hon Wendy Tuckerman announced that she had accepted the key recommendations from the Commissioner's report.  

For information about the role of an Administrator, please read the Frequently Asked Questions on this page.

Mr May also conducts Village Visits twice a year. Please see the Administrator Village Visits page for further information

Appointments with Administrator

To make an appointment with Mr May, please send details of your request to administratoroffice@wsc.nsw.gov.au

Invitations to the Administrator

Should you wish to invite Mr May to an event, either as an attendee or speaker, please send details of to administratoroffice@wsc.nsw.gov.au

Administrator Minute

Minutes tabled by the Administrator at Council meetings can be viewed below, and also as separate documents attached to the business papers. 

Administrator Minute

Administrator Minute - 27 March 2024

Administrator Minute - 21 February 2024(PDF, 140KB)

Administrator Minute - 13 December 2023(PDF, 171KB)

Administrator Minute - 15 November 2023(PDF, 889KB)

Administrator Minute 2 - 20 September 2023(PDF, 264KB)

Administrator Minute 1 - 20 September 2023(PDF, 159KB)

Administrator Minute - 16 August 2023(PDF, 164KB)

Administrator Minute - 19 July 2023(PDF, 123KB)

Administrator Minute - 21 June 2023(PDF, 260KB)

Administrator Minute - 19 April 2023(PDF, 765KB)

Administrator Minute - 15 February 2023(PDF, 263KB)

Administrator Minute - 14 December 2022(PDF, 384KB)

Administrator Minute - General Managers Review(PDF, 162KB)

A Minute Community Update - 17 August 2022(PDF, 202KB)

Appointment of Director Communities and Place(PDF, 210KB)

A Minute Community Update - 20 July 2022(PDF, 152KB)

Government Gazette(PDF, 92KB)

Wingecarribee Shire Council Public Inquiry Commissioners Report(PDF, 5MB)

IA Minute Community Update - 18 May 2022(PDF, 195KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 20 April 2022(PDF, 222KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 16 March 2022(PDF, 220KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 16 February 2022(PDF, 194KB)

Notice of Public Hearings(PDF, 80KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 19 January 2022(PDF, 140KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 8 December 2021(PDF, 150KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 10 November 2021(PDF, 115KB)

IA Public Inquiry Submission - 28 October 2021(PDF, 282KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 13 October 2021(PDF, 146KB)

Postponement of Elections Notice(PDF, 570KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 8 September 2021(PDF, 121KB)

Ltr. from the Office of the Hon. Shelley Hancock MP Public Inquiry(PDF, 344KB)

Reviews and Audits Requested by Interim Administrator - 8 September 2021(PDF, 105KB)

Gazette Notice(PDF, 1MB)

IA Minute Community Update - 30 August 2021(PDF, 142KB)

Memo to IA re Appointment of the Directors(PDF, 235KB)

Memo to IA re Bushfire Review(PDF, 155KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 11 August 2021(PDF, 184KB)

Letter Minister Hancock(PDF, 479KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 28 July 2021(PDF, 176KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 14 July 2021(PDF, 131KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 23 June 2021(PDF, 164KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 9 June 2021(PDF, 260KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 20 May 2021(PDF, 189KB)

IA Minute Vale Terry Oakes-Ash OAM(PDF, 102KB)

IA Minute General Manager Appointment(PDF, 182KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 12 May 2021(PDF, 128KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 21 April 2021(PDF, 84KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 24 March 2021(PDF, 104KB)

IA Minute DSP Charges - 24 March 2021(PDF, 157KB)

IA Minute DSP Charges Motion - 24 March 2021(PDF, 148KB)

IA Minute Community Update - 17 March 2021(PDF, 59KB)

Media Releases

Information issued via media release can be viewed at media.wsc.nsw.gov.au.

Key announcements are listed below:

Media Releases

Wingecarribee Shire Council Suspended

Interim Administrator Calls for Resident Feedback

Interim Administrator Announces Executive Resignations

Extraordinary Meeting to Introduce Administrator

Community Reps Called for Local Planning Panel

Interim Administrator Calls For Greater Project Transparency

Interim Administrator To Visit Shire’s Villages

Shelly Hancock Minister for Local Government Announces Wingecarribee Shire Council Administrator Extended for a Further Three Months

Consultant Engaged for Independent Review into Black Summer Bushfires

Commissioner Releases Small Business Report

Interim Administrator Responds to Postponement of Local Government Elections

Interim Administrator Releases Bushfire Report Findings

Statement of Interim Administrator Public Inquiry(PDF, 176KB)

Frequently Asked Questions

An administrator has been appointed by the State Government under section 438M of the Local Government Act 1993 effective from 12 March 2021 for a period of three months.

Why are we in administration?

The Minister for Local Government, The Hon Shelley Hancock MP has issued a suspension order, suspending all Councillors and the Mayor, and appointed an independent Administrator as the decision-making body of Council.

How long is the administration period?

On 12 March 2021, Minister for Local Government, The Hon. Shelley Hancock suspended Wingecarribee Shire Council and appointed an Interim Administrator Mr Viv May PSM for a period of three months.

The suspension period was extended for a further three months by the Minister on 27 May 2021.

On 1 September 2021, the NSW Government announced a Public Inquiry would be held into Wingecarribee Shire Council. On 14 July 2022, the Minister for Local Government, The Hon Wendy Tuckerman, announced that she had accepted the full recommendations from the Commissioners report.

Council Administrator Mr Viv May will remain at Wingecarribee Shire Council until the local government election in September 2024.



What is the role of the Administrator?

The Administrator constitutes the Council and must perform all the functions, powers and duties of the Council.  The Administrator will effectively act as the Mayor and the Councillors.

The Administrator is also responsible for the implementation of the suspension order and any performance improvement order and reports on progress to the Minister for Local Government.

Who is the Administrator?

Mr Viv May PSM has been appointed as the Shire’s Administrator.

Is the Administrator role full-time?

The Administrator is expected to commit the necessary time to effectively:

  • Conduct the relevant council meetings
  • Undertake the civic and ceremonial functions of the governing body
Undertake the administrative functions of the role, such as oversight of the General Manager and implementation of any performance improvement orders.

How much is the Administrator being paid and who is footing the bill?

The level of remuneration is generally based on the current level of Councillor and Mayoral fees for Wingecarribee Shire Council as set by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal. 

All remuneration and allowances are paid by Wingecarribee Shire Council.

Where will the Administrator work?

The Administrator will be provided with the office space and other support that was previously provided to the Mayor.

Will the Administrator make all the decisions relating to Council?

The Administrator will work closely with the General Manager and make all decisions that an elected Council would do. 

The Administrator will consider all staff reports presented to Council and make decisions. The Administrator will also be able to bring matters to Council via Administrator Minutes.

How do residents raise concerns when there are no Councillors to represent them?

The Administrator is here for residents to contact and engage with. 

The role acts as the Council and undertakes the responsibilities of the Mayor and Councillors representing the interests of residents and our communities. 

If you would like to contact the Administrator, please phone 02 4868 0888 or via email AdministratorOffice@wsc.nsw.gov.au.

Please note that any correspondence marked confidential and addressed to Mr Viv May, Administrator, will only be opened by Mr May and secured to comply with statutory requirements. 

Will Council meetings remain open to the public?

Yes. Under Council’s Code of Meeting Practice, all Council meetings are open to the public and are live-streamed and webcast. Due to the Public Health Orders currently in place, Council Meetings are ticketed to meet social distancing guidelines.

What about day-to-day operations of Council. Have staff been suspended too?

The suspension does not include any staff members of Council. The day-to-day running of Council and delivery of essential services will continue. 

What happens to Councillors? Will they still get paid?

During the suspension period, Councillors are suspended from office and as such are not entitled to exercise the functions of civic office or receive any fee or other remuneration.

Councillors will be required to hand over any Council equipment or resources they have for the period of the suspension.

Councillors who are suspended have the same rights as any other member of the public.

What happens at the end of the administration period? Do Councillors come back? Will there be an election? Or will the administrator continue?

On the expiry of the Ministerial suspension order, the Councillors resume office and the Administrator leaves the position.

Councillors who have resigned cannot resume office within this term.

Three Councillors resigned within the current term including Councillors Markwart in mid-2020, Councillor Halstead on 9 March 2021 and Councillor Turland on 12 March 2021.


Independent Reviews

Independent Reviews

Review of Council finances:
Review of Council Finances - Final Report, Finch Consulting, April 2021(PDF, 588KB)

Review of governance, human resources, and statutory reporting:
Governance Review, Samantha Charlton, May 2021(PDF, 721KB)

Review of planning, development, and regulatory services:
Interim Report, Earnest Consulting, June 2021(PDF, 188KB)
Righting the Wrongs - Second Report, Earnest Consulting, July 2021(PDF, 207KB)
Righting the Wrongs - Final Report, Earnest Consulting, November 2021(PDF, 257KB)

Review of Council’s response to 2019/20 bushfires:
Bushfire Response and Recovery Review, Risk-e Business Consultants, 2021(PDF, 12MB)

Review of Wingecarribee Animal Shelter operations:
Animal Shelter Review Report, Earnest Consulting, July 2021(PDF, 2MB)

Review of Tourism and Economic Development expenditure:
Tourism and Economic Development Expenditure Branch Review, Finch Consulting, June 2021(PDF, 267KB)

Review of Domestic Waste Management Reserve:
Domestic Waste Management Reserve Review, Finch Consulting, September 2021(PDF, 233KB)

Review of Wombeyan Caves Road expenditure:
Wombeyan Caves Road Expenditure Review, Finch Consulting, June 2021(PDF, 232KB)

Review of purchase cards:
Purchase Card Review, Finch Consulting, June 2021(PDF, 2MB)

Small business roundtable:
Report on the Economic Development Roundtable, KPMG, July 2021(PDF, 141KB)

Review of Civic Centre refurbishment project:
Civic Centre Refurbishment Project Review, Norm Smith, 2021(PDF, 2MB)

Review of Council committees:
Community Advisory & Section 355 Committee Review - Final Report, November 2021(PDF, 638KB)

Overview 

OLG Intervention Orders

Office of Local Government Performance Improvement Order served on Wingecarribee Shire Council on 8 September 2020.

Wingecarribee Performance Improvement Order(PDF, 107KB)

Suspension of Wingecarribee Shire Council Order served on 12 March 2021.

Wingecarribee Shire Council Suspension Order(PDF, 24KB)

Wingecarribee Shire Council administrator extended until 10 September 2021

Wingecarribee Shire Council administrator extended for a further three months

NSW Government Gazette Notice - Public Inquiry into Wingecarribee Shire Council

NSW Government Gazette Notice Number 314 - Local Government Thursday, 14 July 2022(PDF, 92KB)


Public Inquiry

On, Thursday 14 July 2022, the Minister for Local Government, The Hon Wendy Tuckerman, announced that she accepts the report's key recommendation that all Civic offices at Wingecarribee Shire Council should be declared vacant, and has advised the Council.

Council Administrator, Mr Viv May will remain at Wingecarribee Shire Council until the local government election in September 2024.

Click here for the press release issued by the Minister 

Click here to view the NSW Government Gazette No 314 of 14 July 2022(PDF, 92KB)

On 1 September 2021 the Minister for Local Government, the Honourable Shelley Hancock MP, announced that Mr Ross Glover had been appointed as Commissioner to hold a public inquiry into Wingecarribee Shire Council and to suspend the Council for a period no later than 30 days after the report of the public inquiry is provided. The Minister has appointed Mr Viv May PSM as Interim Administrator for the period during which Council is suspended. 

The Public Inquiry will provide an opportunity for a public, detailed examination of the issues that have confronted Council. 

Letter to the Interim Administrator from the Office of the Hon. Shelley Hancock MP Ref A787671(PDF, 344KB)

Letter to the General Manager from the Office of the Hon. Shelley Hancock MP Ref A787671(PDF, 355KB)

Shelley Hancock Media Release - Public Inquiry into Wingecarribee Shire Council(PDF, 153KB)

Statement by the Interim Administrator Regarding the Public Inquiry(PDF, 176KB)

To view the full Notice of Public Hearings please see below document:

Notice of Public Hearings(PDF, 80KB)

General Practice Direction for Public Hearings(PDF, 220KB)

Any enquiries concerning the hearings should be directed to the Officer Assisting the Inquiry at wingecarribee.publicinquiry@olg.nsw.gov.au

Proactive Release of Information 

Council has determined to proactively release key information provided to the Public Inquiry. Those documents will be provided here. 

Independent reviews - https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Council/Administrator#section-5

Wingecarribee Shire Council proactive release of information - Proactive Release of Information - Public Inquiry

Useful Links


2. Administrator Village Visits

Viv Banner

The next round of Village Visits will occur in mid-2024 and will be advertised once scheduled.

 

 

Related Information

Back to top