President's Update - Elected Member Leadership Program | Labor Local Government Reform Bill | Emergency Management | Campaign Donation Returns | LGA Board of Directors Meeting | Vale Robert Starr | Drought Roundtable No Images? Click here Vol 3: Issue 43 - Tuesday 27 November 2018 A very special welcome to all of the new mayors and councillors elected earlier this month. Every fortnight I send out an e-newsletter providing updates on key issues for our sector, and opportunities to participate in LGA training and consultations. I aim to make these emails informative and relevant, and please let me know if you have any feedback. We are currently updating our email list to include all new council members so you are receiving this week's edition via your council's administration - it will be sent directly to you in the future. With a number of new mayors and elected members starting, I am keen to converse with as many as possible to help with the direction of the LGA over the next two years of my term. There are a number of important reforms and opportunities that local government can drive forward, and I am committed to helping lead that through working with all elected members and staff. LGA President Sam Telfer Elected Member Leadership ProgramOne of the many services the LGA offers members is an Education and Training program that provides council staff and members with an opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills.We have expanded our suite of courses this year to include an Elected Member Leadership Program, which will focus on building the leadership capacity of both new and continuing mayors and councillors. I’m looking forward to launching this program with our Mayors and Chairs Leadership Session at Local Government House this Friday 30 November. You can find out more or register to attend this session here. The Elected Member Leadership Program for Councillors originally scheduled for 23 November has been moved to 5 December, to provide extra time for new council members to register. More information and a registration link can be found here. The content of these two sessions has been based on feedback the LGA has received from the sector on the importance of leadership qualities, attributes and skills in our dynamic local government environment. We are excited to be working with HCI Think to deliver these leadership sessions, and I encourage you to make time to attend. Labor Local Government Reform BillThe LGA supports sensible and evidence-based local government reform, and over the past twelve months we’ve worked with members to develop a broad reform agenda for our sector. Local government reform has also been identified as a priority by both the Government and the Opposition, and last month the Labor Party introduced the Local Government (Ratepayer Protection and Related Measures) Amendment Bill 2018 in the Legislative Council. This Bill was passed by the Upper House on 14 November, but it is not expected to be voted on by the Lower House until sometime next year. The LGA is continuing to consult with members on the Bill, and we recently held a workshop with council CEOs looking at the proposed reforms. Some of the changes outlined in the Bill are in line with the LGA’s suggested reforms, and the practices that some councils have already voluntarily adopted. However, it appears that some of the proposals aren’t workable, and will significantly increase red tape costs, while holding councils to a much higher standard of expectation than state and federal government. As the Bill will now head to the House of Assembly, the LGA is continuing to seek feedback from member councils and will develop an endorsed position to put to the Government and independent members of the Lower House. For further information, or to provide feedback on the Bill, please contact LGA Governance and Legislation Director Alicia Stewart at alicia.stewart@lga.com.au. Emergency ManagementThe wild weather which was experienced last week again reinforced the important role that councils and the LGA play in emergency management. The Local Government Functional Support Group (led by the LGA) operated under the State Emergency Management Plan, and LGA staff were in the SES State Control Centre during and after the event helping coordinate efforts between affected councils and the SES. It’s important that our sector fully understands our role in preventing and preparing for emergencies, and over the past four months, the LGA’s Council Ready program has delivered emergency management health checks with 62 councils. This process has provided us with detailed insights about how emergency management is understood by our sector, shone a light on the many examples of good practice, and identified opportunities for the LGA to provide practical assistance to councils through this program. I would like to acknowledge the support we’ve received from both the Natural Disaster Resilience Program and the LGA Mutual Liability Scheme for the Council Ready program. Campaign Donation ReturnsA reminder that all council members – both new and returning – are required to complete an election Campaign Donations Return and submit to their council’s CEO within 30 days of the conclusion of the election. More information is available here, but if you have any questions please contact Alicia Stewart on 8224 2037 or at alicia.stewart@lga.sa.gov.au. LGA Board of Directors MeetingThe first meeting of the new LGA Board will be held in Adelaide this Thursday, with the new structural changes coming into practice for the first time. Some of the key items that will be considered by the Board include federal election advocacy, the membership of the new CEO Advisory Group and a quarterly report on the LGA’s finances and KPIs. I look forward to working with the new Board of Directors to embed these new governance arrangements and deliver on the objectives of the LGA. Minutes from the meeting will be available on our website next week, and I’ll also outline key outcomes in my next update. Vale Robert StarrI was saddened to hear that former Franklin Harbour Mayor Robert Starr passed away quietly over the weekend. Mayor Starr had been battling sickness for a number of years, but continued to be a passionate and energetic representative of his district throughout his illnesses, retiring from the position at the council elections. Drought RoundtableFollowing on from the National Drought Summit on 26 October 2018, the Commonwealth Government is developing a long term strategy for drought, focussing on preparedness and resilience. A series of round table events will be held in each state seeking input from state, territory and local government, agriculture industry representatives and peak bodies, research and development organisations and not-for-profit groups. The South Australian roundtable is expected to be held in early 2019, and I will advise you of the date and location once it’s been confirmed. For further information or to submit All SA council members are automatically subscribed to receive this e-newsletter. To unsubscribe please click the link below. |