Ninety Mile Consulting (NMC) is pleased to be partnering with Hobsons Bay City Council to support a review of their Council+ service model — an important initiative focused on improving how the community accesses Council services.

The project reflects Hobsons Bay City Council’s ongoing commitment to continuously improving how it works across the organisation so it can better meet the needs of its diverse and growing community.

What is the current model?

The current model, described as “Council+” was designed to make it easier for the community to access Council information, services, and support through the “any door” approach.

Under the model, people can seek help with a wide range of Council enquiries in a location that is accessible to them, rather than needing to go to the Civic Centre for customer service support. Staff at Council’s contact centres, including libraries and community hubs, provide general assistance, answer common questions, and help connect people to the right service when more specialist support is needed.

The intent of Council+ was to create a more connected, convenient, and welcoming experience for the community, while also supporting more effective collaboration across Council services behind the scenes.

A focus on better outcomes for the Hobsons Bay community

This work is grounded in improving community outcomes and experiences. By strengthening internal ways of working, the project aims to support Council to:

• provide a more seamless and consistent customer experience across services;
• improve accessibility to information and services through trusted community spaces;
• deliver the right services and programs in ways and places that suit the community;
• reduce complexity for residents when interacting with Council; and
• ensure Council resources are used effectively to meet community needs.

As community expectations and service demands evolve, councils across Australia are increasingly reviewing how they can work more collaboratively and efficiently to deliver high-quality, community-focused services.

Engaging staff and the community

A key feature of this project is meaningful engagement with both Council staff and the community.

Council staff play a critical role in delivering the Council+ model and bring valuable insights into how services operate in practice and how residents experience Council. Staff have been engaged through a range of mechanisms, including a staff survey, targeted conversations, workshops, and service observations, ensuring there are multiple ways to contribute.

Community perspectives are also essential. Understanding how residents currently access services, what works well, and where improvements can be made will help inform how the Council+ model continues to evolve to meet local needs.

A collaborative approach

NMC is supporting Hobsons Bay City Council with a structured and collaborative approach, drawing on our experience working with local governments to improve customer experience, service integration, and organisational effectiveness.

Together, we will focus on understanding current arrangements, identifying opportunities to improve the customer experience , and supporting Council to deliver accessible, practical, and community-centred service outcomes.

We look forward to working alongside Hobsons Bay City Council, its staff, and the community as this important work progresses, with the shared goal of making it easier for people to connect with Council and access the services they need.