25 November 2024

Digital excellence at Western Downs Regional Council sets region up for success

Western Downs Regional Council has reached a major milestone in its once-in-a-generation system overhaul, enhancing digital services for residents, business owners and visitors by embracing Australian-made innovation.

As part of its SMART Digital Road Map, the Council has gone live with local provider TechnologyOne’s Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Human Resources & Payroll (HRP).

Managing Australia's second largest road network of over 10,000km, an extensive water, gas and sewage network and one of Australia’s largest cattle saleyards, EAM will enable the council to maximise the lifespan and performance of developments. This includes project inception to build, workforce finance costs, construction completion and finally, the financial depreciation of the asset.

The wide acceptance of the new tools reflects WDRC workforce’s commitment to embracing change and innovation. Within 24 hours of going live with HRP and EAM more than 350 employees submitted timesheets, requested leave and updated personal details and generated work requests for maintenance, defects and general work.

WDRC Chief Executive Officer Jodie Taylor said: “This upgrade is not just about new technology. It’s about creating opportunities for our team to learn new skills, improving overall efficiency and providing stakeholders with a better experience when interacting with council. The SMART Digital Road Map is about making our operations more efficient, data-driven and connected, all while keeping our community at the heart of what we do.”

"This initiative is a major achievement for us. Successfully managing such a large-scale digital transformation comes with many challenges, but we’re on track, on budget and committed to delivering high-quality services and responsible financial management. This is something that we can be incredibly proud of.”

In 2023, WDRC transitioned its on-premise system to TechnologyOne’s SaaS-enabled OneCouncil Enterprise Resource Solution (ERP), providing its workforce with a centralised suite of business products designed specifically for the Australian local government sector. By embracing an integrated solution, the council can access real-time data to identify potential budget shortfalls, streamline and automate administrative processes and better anticipate community needs.

Phase Three is set to revolutionise the way community members interact with the council. Rolling out TechnologyOne’s Digital Experience Platform for Local Government (DxP LG) and Property & Rating (P&R) will deliver a new digital experience which unifies all council services into one, customer centric online platform, available 24 hours a day, empowering both council staff and the community to connect anywhere, anytime, from any device.

Ben Malpass, TechnologyOne’s local government expert said: "New technology is a catalyst for growth. By embracing innovative solutions, WDRC can offer greater transparency, efficiency and faster approvals, making them more appealing to developers and investors. We are thrilled to be celebrating alongside the council as they finalise yet another successful implementation and look forward to supporting them through phase three.”

TechnologyOne’s OneCouncil supports more than 100 councils globally, with 73% of Australian and New Zealand residents living in a council powered by its solutions.