Organisational Structure

Clean Up Works - By Ayesha Sedgman

Horsham Rural City Council employs about 250 staff (217 equivalent full-time).

Council's goal is to provide a workplace with a strong customer service ethic, a healthy productive environment, high morale, a focus on innovation and quality services and where diversity is valued. 

Staff are employed across a variety of occupations, with Council providing more than 100 different services to the community ranging from maternal and child health nurses, engineers, planners, urban designers, community safety officers, communications experts, events officers, aged and disability support workers, gardeners and facility officers.

The Executive Management Team comprises the Chief Executive and four Directors.

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer - Sunil Bhalla, B Eng (Civil), M Tech (Const), MBA, GAICD
Sunil-Bhalla-photo_2.jpg

Sunil started his career in the private sector and has worked in Local Government for over 25 years, including 13 years in senior executive roles delivering significant projects. He was previously Director Infrastructure Services at the City of Maribyrnong, where he had finance and operational responsibility for a large team and the delivery of services and programs to a rapidly growing community. Prior to this, Sunil worked at the Surf Coast Shire Council for more than 14 years in a range of management positions including General Manager Governance and Infrastructure, Director Corporate Services, Director Infrastructure and Infrastructure Manager. He was also with the Hume City Council for six years and the Shire of Bulla for over two years.
 
The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the overall management and performance of all Council operations including the $47 million budget and has direct responsibility for Council's four Directors, along with Governance and Communications staff.
 
The Local Government Act 2020 requires Council to appoint a person to be its Chief Executive Officer, to be responsible for ensuring that decisions of the Council are implemented, to provide advice to Council, and to ensure that the day-to-day management of Council's operations are in accordance with the corporate plan. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for appointing, directing, managing and dismissing Council staff, and for all other issues relating to Council staff.
 

Corporate Services

Director - Kim Hargreaves, BA, LLB

 

Kim started with the Horsham Rural City Council in October 2022, bringing many years of experience working in the Victorian and Queensland state governments across a variety of service areas and in senior executive roles.  Prior to joining Council, Kim was employed as the Director Corporate and Community Services at the Charters Towers Regional Council in Queensland. 

Kim Hargreaves Image.png

The Corporate Services directorate ensures that Horsham Rural City Council delivers quality and efficient services to our community. Services include: customer service, finance management, information technology, organisational development, property management and records management.    

Infrastructure

Director - John Martin, BE (Agric) 

John_Martin.jpgJohn started with the Horsham Rural City Council in March 2012, bringing 28 years of engineering experience in infrastructure development, major project and natural resource management to the role. Prior to joining Council, John was responsible for managing multi-million dollar water infrastructure assets for GWMWater.

Infrastructure Services is responsible for managing, maintaining and enhancing Horsham Rural City Council's assets including roads, drains, footpaths and parks. This department is also responsible for waste, emergency and fleet management and some enterprise services.  Services include: emergency management, engineering, environmental management, fleet management, Horsham Aerodrome, Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange, infrastructure, road construction and maintenance, sport and recreation and waste management.

Infrastructure Engineering and Strategic Asset Management Organisational Chart(PDF, 201KB)

Infrastructure Operations Department Organisational Chart(PDF, 81KB)

Communities & Place

Director - Kevin O'Brien, B Theol, Assoc Dip Arts, Dip Man, Grad Cert Man 

KevinOBrien2016_2.jpg

Kevin started at the Horsham Rural City Council in early 2016, having previously worked in Local Government for 18 years, including 11 years in senior management positions at the Southern Grampians Shire Council.

Kevin is responsible for the management of a broad range of community and human service programs. Services include: access and inclusion, aged and disability services, early years services, community development, cultural services, emergency recovery, environmental health and youth services. Kevin also has direct responsibility for the management of Council's business enterprises such as the Horsham Aquatic Centre.

Communities and Place Organisational Chart(PDF, 207KB)