Executive Management at the City of Melville is so dysfunctional that it would not survive in private industry.
Melville executives can been seen any day of the week spending more resources on enforcing power over their Council and their communities than in managing the functions of their local government.
In spite of the prescription of section 5.41(2)(c) the City’s executive do not have functional records systems for the Councils Policies, and nor have they “determined procedures and systems for implementing the local government’s policies.” In observing Council meetings one can readily see the imposition of executive dominance over and interfering with Council independence.

The absence of independent oversight has seen executive disregard for their guiding legislation. Their is no record of City executive ensuring Council has the independence and balance of information and advice it needs to make informed and timely decisions. The agenda for the April 21 2026 Ordinary Council Meeting (OMC) is a classic example of misleading of Council by the executive.

The City’s executive do not measure achievement of their Local Government’s affairs nor the performance of their Local Government’s functions. Anecdotally, this appears purposed to prevent KPI’s from being meaningfully assessed.

The usurping of Council roles by executive employees is a major root causation of Local Government management dysfunction. For example: a legislated class prejudice was introduced to section 2.7 of the WA Local Government Act 1995, with the 2025/6 reforms, prescribing that Council discriminate in favour of executive while the executive was not conversely prescribed to respect Council:

The State Government’s existing legislated oversight agencies lack independence, their activity is not independently measured, and they are seen to promote dysfunction through favouring executive government powers that openly contradict the purpose and intent of the Local Government Act.

These discriminatory powers are also exampled in the legislated requirement of employees to report councilors and there being no reciprocal reporting.

Department of Local Government (DLGSC) operates via the same unregulated and un-monitored employee base as does the Local Government Inspector and WALGA.
The West Australian Local Government Association is a legislated and funded association whose objects and constitution are contrary to the Local Government Act’s intent.

2.7. Role of council
(3) For the purpose of ensuring proper governance of the
local government’s affairs, the council must have regard to
the following principles —
(a) the council’s governing role is separate from the CEO’s
executive role as described in section 5.41;
(b) it is important that the council respects that separation.