Council services at risk | Rate capping in Victoria | Fund My Neighbourhood No Images? Click here Update from the LGA President Vol 2: Issue 17 - Monday 14 August 2017 Dear Mayors and CouncillorsLocal government has those great highs and lows! It was a terrific outcome for us to see the Boundary Reform Bill pass both houses of Parliament. But we have had a disappointing decision regarding food trucks. We continue to work away at the code of conduct amendments, and each Mayor is encouraged to talk through the proposed changes with their council to ensure all councillor views are captured. LGA President Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg Parks, gardens and trails at risk The LGA continues to highlight services that would be at risk under rate capping, and we’re drawing attention to the millions that councils spend on high quality public spaces. Please be bold and get involved in the conversation online. You understand better than anyone the value and extent of council services, and how your communities would suffer if they were reduced or removed. I recently wrote to all political parties seeking a commitment they: · Would increase state investment in the integrated planning and implementation of local public open spaces with associated facilities and infrastructure across the state, to ensure the benefits are maintained and enhanced; · Would not shift state government related costs associated with the provision of public open space to councils without their agreement; · Would not introduce measures that would impact on Iocal government's ability to raise sufficient revenue to meet community expectations in the delivery of parks, gardens, playgrounds and trails; and · Would take responsibility for parks, gardens, playgrounds, dog parks, reserves and trails that councils cannot afford to maintain because of rate capping. The response I received from Shadow Minister David Pisoni last week did not address any of our concerns, but reinforced the SA Liberal Party’s support for rate capping, and asked us to once again send out their policy document to all South Australian council members. You can find their policy document on their website, and you can download a copy of our response to the policy here. I also received a letter from the Premier last week reinforcing the Labor Government’s commitment to opposing rate capping during the current Parliamentary term. Greens SA leader Mark Parnell also emailed me confirming their opposition to rate capping and cost shifting. I’ve included a link to this email with Mark’s permission here. We continue to engage with political parties on this issue, and our door is always open to any party or candidate who wants to engage in meaningful discussion about how we can work together to make our sector even more efficient. Headlines from across the border If you’ve picked up a Victorian paper lately you might have read about the impact rate capping is having in its second year. Buloke Shire Council is struggling to meet its asset renewal requirements, while Bendigo Council is warning of cuts to jobs and services. Knox Council has introduced a new $152 garbage collection tax, and Banyule Council has brought in a fee for renewing disability parking permits. The State Government has had to take over funding for their SES, which was previously jointly funded by councils. This is why we are fighting the implementation of this policy in South Australia. We’ve seen what the future looks like for councils and communities under a rate capping regime, and it’s not pretty. Code of conduct update As I’ve previously mentioned, we are currently consulting with the sector about opportunities to improve the code of conduct for council members. Last month we held two forums with Mayors and Chairs (with one of these also attended by CEOs), where we received a number of suggestions regarding complaints handling processes, and associated consequences and penalties. We’ve collated feedback received during these forums in a consultation paper that can be found here. We are now seeking input from all council members on this paper, and would appreciate your response by Friday 25 August. This is an important topic, and your participation will help ensure that the proposal we present to the Premier in October is representative of the views of our entire sector. Lands Titles Office Last week the State Government announced the privatisation of the State’s lands titles services. Councils use data from the State Valuation Office for apportioning rates amongst their ratepayers, and I understand there are concerns as to the impact this decision could have on our sector. I recently wrote to the Minister to seek assurances that any sale would not increase costs to councils, or affect the quality of valuations delivered. The Treasurer has since responded on behalf of the Government and offered assurances on both of these points. He’s also provided us with a Q&A document to share with members that you can download here. We are aware that this is a matter of interest to councils, and we will be staying informed through the Stakeholder Reference Group, and keep you updated on any developments. Fund My Neighbourhood I recently attended the launch of the State Government’s Fund My Neighbourhood program. Announced as part of this year’s State Budget, this $40 million initiative allows South Australians to nominate projects in their communities, and vote on which ones get funded. Obviously, a large number of these projects will be on local government land, and as such will need your councils’ approval and support. The LGA is working closely with the Government on the program, providing advice and making connections with councils. Our goal is to ensure councils are in the best position to support great outcomes in their communities. For further information please visit the Fund My Neighbourhood website Good news from SA councils Much of the great work done by our sector goes unreported, so it’s always nice to read positive stories about councils serving their communities. The Messenger recently covered new services being offered by the City of Tea Tree Gully for people seeking refuge from domestic violence. The City of Whyalla shared the story of a Queensland couple’s dream dolphin adventure and two-night stay in the city following a visit to their tourist information centre. The Rural City of Murray Bridge featured in The Murray Valley Standard as they called for community input into an upgrade of iconic Sturt Reserve. The retirement of Peter Strawbridge after 37 years at Wakefield Regional Council received excellent coverage in the Northern Argus, as did the election of Alison Nunan to Robe District Council in the Coastal Leader. If you’ve got stories from your own communities you want to share please let me know, I’d love to help you spread the word about the great work your councils are doing. Vale Brian Anders Former mayor and LGA President (1979-1982) Brian Anders passed away last week. Brian’s contributions to our sector were extensive, and he was the first chair of the Local Government Finance Authority (LGFA) that was set up with the State Government by the LGA. Today the LGFA has 100% council membership, and has saved councils and communities more than $300 million since its inception. With his work in establishing the LGFA some thirty years ago, and leadership during its formative years, Brian leaves behind a legacy that our sector continues to benefit from. More information on Brian’s life and achievements in local government can be found here. For further information on any of these articles or to submit feedback please email: |