Building Sustainable Service Delivery Through Financial Insight
Results Snapshot
Client: Tablelands Regional Council
Location: North Queensland, west of Cairns
Sector: Local Government
Solution: Service Reviews
- Service Planning Framework implemented across all business units
- Full Service Catalogue and 10-year projections developed
- Financial sustainability assessment completed at service level
- Inaugural Service Planning Report published publicly
- Foundation established for continuous improvement and community transparency
Overview
Tablelands Regional Council sought to strengthen its long-term financial sustainability by aligning service delivery with its Corporate Plan priorities. The Council engaged CT Management Group to implement a structured Service Management Framework and Service Planning program that would provide visibility over all services, assess resourcing implications, and ensure that every service was strategically aligned and financially sustainable.
The Challenge
Before the engagement, Council lacked a consistent method for assessing service priorities, resourcing needs, and financial sustainability at the service level.
Key challenges included:
- Limited visibility of how services contributed to strategic objectives.
- No unified service catalogue or performance measurement structure.
- Difficulty in identifying resourcing implications and affordability over time.
- Limited ability to assess service demand, satisfaction, and future investment requirements.
The Council needed a systematic, evidence-based framework that could identify service priorities, clarify resource needs, and drive financial accountability across the organisation.
Our Solution
CT Management Group developed and delivered a comprehensive Service Management Framework through extensive engagement with elected representatives, senior executives, and Service Managers.
The framework included:
- A complete service catalogue and service profile for each area of Council activity.
- An evidence-based service assessment model enabling prioritisation based on strategic alignment and importance.
- 10-year service-level financial projections to forecast sustainability and affordability.
- Integration of the Service Planning Platform with the Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) to model service demand.
- Staff capability building through workshops and mentoring to embed the process and support cultural change.
This structured process allowed the Council to aggregate and report key financial and service data for the first time creating the foundation for informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
The Outcomes
The Service Management Framework delivered measurable benefits, including:
- Clear understanding of service levels, future demand, and resourcing requirements.
- Ability to assess and communicate financial sustainability at both the service and organisational level.
- Enhanced transparency through publication of the inaugural Service Planning Report, available on Council’s website.
- Improved prioritisation and decision-making through comparative analysis of services.
- Foundation for a continuous improvement approach to service delivery and community engagement.
The Service Planning Report highlighted that demand-driven financial forecasting is often missing from standard long-term financial models. Tablelands Regional Council is now using this approach to ensure resources are allocated where they deliver the most value.
Testimonial
“The Service Management Framework has given us a clear picture of our services, demand drivers, and financial implications. It’s enabled more informed decisions and strengthened our long-term financial planning.”
— Hilary , Tablelands Regional Council