Under the Local Government Act 2009 the role of the chief executive officer (CEO) of a local government is to implement the local government's policies, decisions and local laws.

The CEO, as the administrative head of council, has extra responsibilities for managing the performance of the local government’s administrative arm and implementing appropriate policies and practices across the local government. In addition to the responsibilities under the separation of powers, the CEO is responsible for:

• managing the local government in a way that promotes the effective, efficient and economical use of public resources, excellence in service delivery, and continual improvement
• adopting management practices that promote equal employment opportunities and are responsive to the local government’s policies and priorities
• establishing and implementing practices that ensure all members of the community have access to local government programs and appropriate avenues for reviewing council decisions
• keeping records required under the Act
• complying with reasonable requests from councillors for relevant advice and information.

Legislation extracts

• Local Government Act 2009 - s194 Appointing a chief executive officer
  
  

  194 Appointing a chief executive officer (1) A local government must appoint a qualified person to be its chief executive officer. (2) A person is qualified to be the chief executive officer if the person has the ability, experience, knowledge and skills that the local government considers appropriate, having regard to the responsibilities of a chief executive officer. (3) A person who is appointed as the chief executive officer must enter into a written contract of employment with the local government. (4) The contract of employment must provide for— (a) the chief executive officer to meet performance standards set by the local government; and (b) the chief executive officers’ conditions of employment (including remuneration).

• Local Government Act 2009 - s13 Responsibilities of local government employees
  
  

  13 Responsibilities of local government employees (1) All employees of a local government have the same responsibilities, but the chief executive officer has some extra responsibilities. (2) All employees have the following responsibilities— (a) implementing the policies and priorities of the local government in a way that promotes— (i) the effective, efficient and economical management of public resources; and (ii) excellence in service delivery; and (iii) continual improvement; (b) carrying out their duties in a way that ensures the local government— (i) discharges its responsibilities under this Act; and (ii) complies with all laws that apply to local governments; and (iii) achieves its corporate and community plans; (c) providing sound and impartial advice to the local government; (d) carrying out their duties impartially and with integrity; (e) ensuring the employee’s personal conduct does not reflect adversely on the reputation of the local government; (f) improving all aspects of the employee’s work performance; (g) observing all laws relating to their employment (h) observing the ethics principles under the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994, section 4; (i) complying with a code of conduct under the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994. (3) The chief executive officer has the following extra responsibilities— (a) managing the local government in a way that promotes— (i) the effective, efficient and economical management of public resources; and (ii) excellence in service delivery; and (iii) continual improvement; (b) managing the other local government employees through management practices that— (i) promote equal employment opportunities; and (ii) are responsive to the local government’s policies and priorities; (c) establishing and implementing goals and practices in accordance with the policies and priorities of the local government; (d) establishing and implementing practices about access and equity to ensure that members of the community have access to— (i) local government programs; and (ii) appropriate avenues for reviewing local government decisions; (e) keeping a record, and giving the local government access to a record, of all directions that the mayor gives to the chief executive officer; (f) the safe custody of— (i) all records about the proceedings, accounts or transactions of the local government or its committees; and (ii) all documents owned or held by the local government; (g) complying with reasonable requests from councillors— (i) for advice to help the councillor make a decision; or (ii) for information, that the local government has access to, relating to the local government.