Grand Bay- Westfield Council

Grand Bay-Westfield Council

Driving Digital Transformation: Empowering Enhanced Planning & Reporting Maturity
Grand Bay-Westfield’s Success Story with GovernmentFrameworks.com

BACKGROUND

About

There is truly no place like Grand Bay-Westfield. Our Town is a dynamic and vibrant community renowned for being Neighbours by Nature – A welcoming place for all to live, grow and thrive. Located in southwestern New Brunswick, our community is located along the River Valley Scenic Drive, one of the provincially designated scenic routes, and is home to 5,866 residents. Grand Bay-Westfield is yours to explore with something for everyone – hiking, walking and cycling trails, parks, shopping, dining, golf course, splash pad, tennis and pickleball courts, sports fields, river access – and more.

The new local government of Grand Bay-Westfield was established on January 1, 2023. This new entity incorporates the former Town of Grand Bay-Westfield (Ward 1) and a designated area along Brittain and Campbell Roads from the former Local Service District of Westfield West (Ward 2).

Neighbours by Nature

"I was surprised how much I learned about the Town after Council received our first Government Frameworks report from Administration; the ongoing reports are effective. As an elected official for over twenty years, this reporting provides me greater oversight and a method of ensuring Council’s priorities in our Strategic Plan are being met."

Beverley Day - Councillor

BACKGROUND

About

Nestled in the picturesque southwestern region of New Brunswick, Grand Bay-Westfield beckons with its awe-inspiring beauty and storied past. The tranquil Wolastoq River gracefully winds through the town, embraced by the Wolastoqiyik people who have flourished alongside its abundant waters. Bursting with energy and vitality, Grand Bay-Westfield invites residents and visitors alike to immerse themselves in a diverse array of activities, including invigorating hikes, exhilarating cycling adventures, serene parks, delightful shopping experiences, and so much more.

While already a Government Frameworks customer since 2021, in 2023 New Brunswick local governance reform brought about a significant transformation in the province’s local governance system, driven by the goal of modernization. Through this reform, municipalities and local service districts underwent consolidation and realignment, leading to a reduction in the overall number of local governments. The primary objective was to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability within local governance, with a focus on fostering sustainable and prosperous communities.

As part of this reform, the new local government of Grand Bay-Westfield was established on January 1, 2023. This new entity incorporates the former Town of Grand Bay-Westfield (Ward 1) and a designated area along Brittain and Campbell Roads from the former Local Service District of Westfield West (Ward 2).

Neighbours by Nature

"I was surprised how much I learned about the Town after Council received our first Government Frameworks report from Administration; the ongoing reports are effective. As an elected official for over twenty years, this reporting provides me greater oversight and a method of ensuring Council’s priorities in our Strategic Plan are being met."

Beverley Day - Councillor

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CHALLENGES

Modernizing & Enhancing Planning practices

Recognizing the importance of progress, in 2021 Grand Bay-Westfield embarked on a mission to establish planning and reporting maturity that would benefit the entire community. With a visionary mindset, they sought a streamlined, centralized, and holistic approach to strategic and operational planning. This approach aimed to equip their staff with comprehensive information, empowering them to make well-informed decisions. Moreover, Grand Bay-Westfield endeavored to foster greater visibility and understanding among constituents, ensuring that the reasoning behind every decision was clear and transparent.

BENEFITS

Revolutionizing Municipal Governance

Grand Bay-Westfield Council used its Strategic Priorities and commitment as the catalyst to embark on an ambitious journey, driven by a vision to revolutionize municipal governance and unlock the full potential of their operations. By harnessing the power of GovernmentFrameworks.com solutions, they set out to streamline reporting processes, enhance project tracking, and seamlessly align goals across multiple plans and departments as they aligned the two wards. The results were transformative, paving the way for sustainable success and a thriving community.

Efficient Goal and Planning Alignment:

Streamlined and Centralized View: Grand Bay-Westfield staff gained a streamlined, centralized, and holistic view of strategic and operational planning. This comprehensive perspective empowered them to make well-informed decisions, ensuring alignment with the town’s goals and priorities.
Enhanced Decision-Making: With greater access to comprehensive information, Council members at Grand Bay-Westfield experienced enhanced decision-making abilities. They could weigh options more effectively, enabling them to make informed choices that had a positive impact on the town and its residents.
Increased Visibility and Understanding: The constituents of Grand Bay-Westfield benefited from a greater level of visibility and understanding regarding the town’s operations. Through transparent reporting and clear reasoning behind decisions, residents could gain insight into how the town was being governed and the rationale driving important choices.
Improved Accountability: The Local Government planning and reporting framework enabled Grand Bay-Westfield to demonstrate accountability to the governing body and constituents. Quarterly reports on the strategic plan, mandate letters for the leadership team, and performance evaluations ensured that agreed-upon priorities were consistently monitored, reviewed, and met.
Effective Oversight and Prioritization: The ongoing reports generated by Government Frameworks provided elected officials, such as Councillor Beverley Day, with valuable insights. As an elected official for over twenty years, Councillor Day expressed how the reporting process provided her with greater oversight and a method to ensure that Council’s priorities, as outlined in the Strategic Plan, were being met.

Grand Bay-Westfield’s collaboration with Government Frameworks has not only resulted in immediate benefits but also positioned the town for continued growth and success. By embracing modern technologies and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency, they are paving the way for a thriving community.

FUTURE INITIATIVES

Future Ready Solutions

Following the successful implementation of the Local Government planning and reporting framework, Grand Bay-Westfield remains committed to further utilizing Government Frameworks solutions. They have begun implementing ProcessPro to enhance their processes and are exploring additional solutions like FARMER (Forms Automation Records Management & Executive Reporting) and Financial Integration. These solutions will enable even greater efficiency and effectiveness in their planning and reporting practices.

SOLUTIONS IMPLEMENTED

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