Council's website transformation takes out LGPro award

Published on 11 June 2025

Gannawarra Shire Council’s efforts to make it easier for residents to engage with Council have been recognised by the local government sector.

Council’s Transforming the Gannawarra’s Digital Presence project won the Digital and Technology Award at the 2025 LGPro Awards for Excellence, announced on 5 June in Melbourne.

The award recognises the work Council undertook to transform how residents can engage with Council, which began in late 2020 with the ability for website users to complete online forms and culminated in early 2024 with the launch of a new-look website.

ABOVE: Gannawarra Shire Council launched its new-look website in February 2024.

“Council has a renowned history with these local government sector awards, with various projects and staff members either named as finalists, receiving high commendations or taking out category awards,” Council Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson said.

“The Transforming the Gannawarra’s Digital Presence project, led by our communications team, identified ways we could enhance the way residents access information or complete tasks.

“The implementation of Granicus’ OpenForms program in late 2020 enabled residents to complete forms or requests on our website anywhere, any time, and has now grown to be adopted across the organisation.

“Concurrently, our efforts to transform our website brought our key engagement tool up to industry standard, resulting in a change from an organisational silo approach to one that is customer focused.”

ABOVE: Council's community flood recovery efforts and Governance Officer, Dylan Taylor were also recognised during the 2025 LGPro Awards for Excellence.

Council was also a finalist in the Disaster Readiness and Recovery category for its multi-year effort to support the Gannawarra’s social recovery from the 2022 floods, with Governance Officer, Dylan Taylor a finalist in the Young Achiever Award.

“Council congratulates Dylan and all staff involved in the Gannawarra’s social recovery from the 2022 floods for the recognition, and all councils recognised by LGPro as part of these prestigious awards.”

TOP: Gannawarra Shire Council Communications Coordinator, Scott Bourne and Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson with the 2025 LGPro Awards for Excellence Digital and Technology Award.