City of Melville councillor fails in bid to give it a mission statement

A MELVILLE Council decision not to introduce a mission statement has been labelled “extraordinary” by the councillor who put the idea forward.

In March, Applecross-Mt Pleasant councillor Steve Kepert called on the City’s administration to formulate a mission statement that would be brought before council for final approval.

He said the statement would be a line declaring the City’s purpose.

In his reasons for putting the motion forward, Cr Kepert said it was “insufficient” for the City to rely on sections of the Local Government Act for its purpose.

He said the absence of a mission statement obscured the City’s vision and argued it was “inappropriate” that organisational strategies were being used in place of one.

Ultimately the motion was lost 5-7, but Cr Kepert remains firmly behind the idea.

“There’ll be a few people out there who don’t understand the gravity of an organisation not having a mission statement but it is in fact nothing short of extraordinary that a Council, or a board for that matter, would vote against having one,” he said.

“Needless to say, the councillors who voted against it simply didn’t understand what a mission statement is and why it is essential to any organisation.”

On the night the motion was lost, Cr Kepert said a mission statement was “much like the cornerstone of a building”.

“It’s something for everyone, every employee, elected members and basically the broader community (about) why the organisation exists,” he said.

Councillor Clive Robartson could not see the point, arguing the City already had a vision statement – working together to achieve community wellbeing for today and tomorrow – which featured in strategic plans and offered purpose.

Cr Kepert argued a vision was “more or less where the organisation is going over a period of time”, while the mission statement related to “why the City exists”.

Councillor Guy Wieland also spoke against the idea, believing mission statements were outdated.

“Our mission statement every day personally, privately and publicly is how you conduct yourself,” he said.

“Your actions are your mission statement.”

Some company mission statements

Google: To organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Nike: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete.

Chanel: To be the ultimate house of luxury, defining style and creating desire, now and forever.

Oxfam: To create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice.

RSPCA: To prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection.

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