A recent letter to the editor has revealed just how misunderstood local government operations can be.
The resident admitted they believed the mayor was “the boss of council” and that councillors were responsible for overseeing staff.
Like many, they assumed that if a pothole wasn’t fixed or a service fell short, elected officials were directly to blame.
But in reality, Queensland councils operate under a governance model that separates strategic leadership from day-to-day operations – a structure designed to ensure accountability, transparency, and fairness.
According to the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers, there are two distinct arms in local government: the strategic arm, made up of the mayor and councillors, and the operational arm, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and comprised of council employees.
“Community residents often think elected councillors are making operational decisions that council staff are responsible for,” a departmental spokesperson said.
“For example, road potholes needing repairs.”
Elected members are responsible for setting the council’s direction through policies, budgets, and long-term strategic plans.
However, they are legally and ethically prohibited from intervening in daily operations such as staffing decisions or task assignments.
Scenic Rim Regional Council CEO David Keenan said the mayor and councillors cannot direct staff or fix issues themselves.
“A common misconception is that the Mayor and Councillors can investigate complaints and direct staff to take actions such as fixing the pothole. This is not the case,” Mr Keenan said.
He explained that elected members set the “what” – the community’s vision, policies, budgets, and priorities – while the CEO and staff handle the “how”: service delivery, infrastructure, compliance, and community programs.
“Broadly speaking, the Mayor leads the council’s governance and strategy, while the CEO leads the operational arm,” Mr Keenan said.
“The Mayor does have additional executive powers to direct the CEO under the Local Government Act, but no councillor, including the Mayor, may direct any other staff member.”
When a resident reports an issue – such as a pothole – it can be lodged through council’s online portal or customer service centre.
If a councillor forwards a request, it is formally entered and assessed by the relevant department, then prioritised based on risk and resource availability.
If a resident is dissatisfied with the outcome, they can request an internal review by the governance team or escalate it to the Queensland Ombudsman.
Accountability is maintained through legislation requiring councils to publish budgets, corporate plans, annual reports, and independent audits.
Councillors also complete mandatory training after election, covering conduct, ethics, and governance.
Mayor Tom Sharp said the role of mayor is ultimately about leadership, accountability, and advocacy – not operational control.
“The key responsibilities of the mayor are to lead and manage the meetings of the local government authority, and to provide strategic direction to the CEO,” Cr Sharp said.
“I’m accountable to the community for Scenic Rim Council’s performance. But it’s important to understand that the CEO leads the operational arm.”
He said one of his most important responsibilities lies in representing the region beyond its borders.
“A big part of my job is to advocate outside the region for support and infrastructure from other levels of government, and to promote the Scenic Rim as a place of investment opportunity,” he said.
Cr Sharp acknowledged that understanding how council works can be a journey for many residents and shared his reflections on how public knowledge around government has shifted.
“You know, it’s funny – we never wanted to know about these things growing up,” he said. “In my house, we talked about politics every day, but there was also a lot of understanding about how government worked that kids don’t learn anymore.
“And it gets harder as the population grows and the world ultimately changes.”
