The Department or the appointed person is required to prepare a report (an assessment report), and issue it to a council. The report may recommend improvements which a council should make. A council is required to prepare and submit a response report to the Department within 3 months of receipt of the assessment report. Both reports must be published. The Department may issue a direction specifying actions where a council declines to implement recommendations or appears not to be carrying out what it proposes in its response report. The Department must publish any such direction or variation of a direction.