I think back about the Council that I first joined in 1999.

Back then, Councillors received business papers by mail and if the agenda was particularly big, there would be a staff member who would physically deliver each parcel of papers to Councillor’s homes or offices.

Now days the reports are simply uploaded to an iPads. 

When Councillors were first given iPads my initial question was “how much is this going to cost”? 

The staff were very quickly able to prove to me that there was to be a cost saving within one year due to savings on postage and delivery and printing.

This year we have gone one step further by live streaming Council meetings so the public can watch what happens in the Chamber from anywhere.

Residents are also seeing technology in their Council rapidly. 

Back in 1999 the Council was so manually paper heavy that every department required its own front counter service desk that were scattered throughout the building.

In 2006, Council’s refurbished building saw it all consolidated into a one stop shop largely.

This was largely due to the ease of access to computer systems that front of house staff have.

Since 2006 with the rise of online payments, email, electronic contact with Council officers and even mobile applications that report damage and faults to Council property there are vastly fewer direct contacts at our customer service counter while inquiries go up.

Some of the mobile applications such as NeatStreets makes direct damage or maintenance reports to Councils and utility providers.

No need to call Council - simply tap the details in and even its GPS system can determine the location.  It gives an ease of access to our maintenance crews!

The way Council communicates to residents has changed over the years too. 

In 1999 when I first started we were seen as being on top of the field because we had an e-newsletter. 

My how things have changed. E-newsletters remain, but we have multiple newsletters all designed to target a different function of Council. 

Since 1999 social media has become the fastest and most affordable way Councils can get their message out to a target audience.

Recently we made a “We are ready” video aimed at Qantas encouraging them to open their pilots training academy in Dubbo. 

Obviously the Facebook video hit the core local audience, but for a cheeky stunt we were able to geo-target the message so that it happens to pop up around the Mascot area – right where Qantas has its head office.  I’m still hoping Alan Joyce saw the video!

Right now the most contact I have with residents as Mayor is through the Mayor of the Dubbo Region facebook page (look me up by searching for Mayor of the Dubbo Region). 

Every day people are sending me messages and requests through this digital platform.  It has made the role of Mayor more accessible than ever before to the general public. 

One can only guess what sort of medium Councils will use in the future to communicate to residents.

No one can even begin to definitively answer what technological changes lie ahead for Council. The best way we can manage the ever encroaching techno revolution is to embrace change and lead innovation.

Whether this be opening up new mapping tools for residents to pinpoint their personal services, remotely diagnosing equipment or service faults, using drone cameras for asset inspections or new ways to directly communicate with customers Council is embracing change to better service the community.