Rate capping | Local government reform | Value of LGA membership | Commonwealth grants | Climate risk | LGA submissions No Images? Click here Vol 4: Issue 17 - Monday 5 August 2019 As a membership organisation, we are constantly looking at how we can provide greater benefits and value to our member councils. This year, the value of LGA membership has been independently verified as being worth more than $140 million per year, across the entire sector. The annual LGA Membership Survey will be conducted in October to seek your views on the issues that we should be focussing on, and how we can improve the services we deliver. However, we’re keen to hear from our members at any time. If you have idea about how LGA services can be enhanced, I would encourage you to get in contact with me, or one of the other LGA Board Directors. LGA President Sam Telfer Rate cappingThe Government’s proposed rate capping legislation was voted down in the Legislative Council on 23 July, with SA Labor, SA-BEST and Greens SA all standing by their pre-election commitments to oppose the Bill. This vote came twelve months after the Bill passed through the House of Assembly, and more than three years after rate capping was announced as a cornerstone of the SA Liberal party’s 2018 election platform. We always try to work with the Government of the day, and it brings us no joy to disagree with them on policy issues. However, looking at the impact rate capping has had on councils and communities interstate, it was important to take a stand against the unnecessary costs and red tape this policy would have burdened our sector with. I know many of you have been active in your own communities on this issue, and I thank you for this support. Now that the Bill has been dealt with by the Parliament, we can move forward in working with the Government and Parliament on better options for reform that will increase transparency and drive downward pressure on rates. Local government reformWe understand that the Minister is writing to all South Australian mayors today about the Government’s proposals for local government reform. You can download the Government’s Discussion Paper here. Many of these proposed reforms are based on ideas that were identified by councils and the LGA in our local government reform agenda, although some have been independently developed by the Government, and will require closer inspection. We are currently preparing a discussion paper that will help your council consider and respond to the Government’s proposed reforms, and this will be on our website by the end of the week. I would encourage you to carefully consider this set of proposals in your council meetings, and provide feedback to the Government on whether they will benefit your community. The LGA will also host a series of consultation workshops across the State to get your feedback, which will help inform our response to the Government on behalf of the sector. Dates for these sessions are currently being finalised, and will be communicated as soon as they are confirmed. This is a rare opportunity for us to be a partner in serious reform, and I will keep you updated throughout the process, which is expected to culminate in the introduction of a Bill in early 2020. The Value of MembershipEach year the LGA commissions an independent analysis of the value it provides to member councils. It includes money that councils save as a result of their membership, as well as additional funding they receive as a result of advocacy that has been driven or supported by the LGA and the ALGA. This year’s value of membership report was undertaken by UHY Haines Norton, and quantifies the total value of LGA services and advocacy as being worth $141.7 million per year. This is an increase of around $2 million on 2018, and equates to an average of around $2.1 million for each of SA’s 68 councils. A tailored value proposition will now be prepared for each council based on the specific programs and services your council participates in. It’s encouraging to see the value of LGA membership continue to grow each year, as new services are developed in response to member needs, and new funding opportunities identified. You can download the full 2019 LGA Value of Membership report here. Bridges to Renewal Fund and Commonwealth grants I recently wrote to the Hon Michael McCormack MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Regional Development, to propose changes to the Bridges to Renewal grant program. The Commonwealth is providing $640 million from 2015/16 to 2022/23, with an on-going commitment of $85 million each following year to upgrade and replace bridges to enhance access for local communities, and facilitate higher productivity vehicle access. However, our analysis shows that so far SA councils have only received 3% of the $395 million awarded nationally. To make sure SA has fair and equitable access to this funding the LGA has suggested allowing multiple council projects within a certain threshold to be combined to form a single regional application, and amending the requirement that the existing structure must be a timber road bridge to include other materials. The next funding round is expected to open in late 2019/20. We have also prepared an overview of the Commonwealth’s grant programs that are currently open to local government. I encourage you to consider applying through these programs to maximize federal investment in your local communities. Climate riskClimate risk factors are significant for our sector, with potential increases in the frequency and intensity of bushfires, heatwaves, floods, extreme storm events and rising sea levels all presenting councils with different challenges. The LGA has worked with members to develop a strong climate policy position, which is outlined in our online Policy Manual We have also played a role in providing coordinated and relevant guidance and assistance to councils on climate risk over a number of years. You can find out more about this support to date, as well as current initiatives, in this Action Statement. Following two motions that were supported by members at our OGM in April, we will be engaging with our members in the coming months to identify future priorities and actions that will help us better protect our communities from climate risks and looking at opportunities for this work to be funded. LGA submissionsAs the “voice of local government”, the LGA works closely with its members to provide submissions to a wide range of State and Federal Government inquiries and reviews. Our goal is to positively influence policies that impact on our sector, and ultimately our communities. Some recent examples include the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Local Government, ECSA’s Local Government Elections Review, and the State Government’s Local Government Reform Program. These submissions and others have now been collated on a new page on the LGA’s website, and I would encourage you to bookmark this page and check back regularly. Our submissions are based on input we receive from members, which is usually sought through the LGA’s weekly circulars. These circulars are a good way of staying up to date on emerging issues for our sector, and opportunities to provide input into the LGA’s advocacy activities. You can subscribe to the LGA circulars here. 2019 Roads and Works ConferenceA final reminder that the Roads and Works Conference will be held in Renmark next week, from Wednesday night until Friday lunchtime. The final program for the event is now available, and you can register to attend online. I will be attending the whole event, and look forward to meeting and chatting with you there. For further information or to submit |