LGA Constitution Ancillary Documents | Rate capping sector consultation | Roadwork permit fees | 2018 Council Elections | Waste Pathways Workshop No Images? Click here Vol 3: Issue 20 - Monday 28 May 2018 Last week we gathered together some experienced minds from across Adelaide and regional SA to further examine the LGA’s new mentoring and peer support program. As part of this we spent a good amount of time looking at what is needed to really improve the induction process after the election, but more importantly, what can we do to ensure that nominees know what their roles will be, and what will be expected of them. There’s a lot of work that’s going into preparing for this year’s council elections, and I’ve included a quick summary of current and upcoming activities below. LGA President Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg Consultation on Ancillary Documents to the LGA ConstitutionFollowing the adoption of our new Constitution at last month’s OGM, the LGA is now consulting members on the Ancillary Documents that provide more detail about how the new Constitution will work in practice. These documents include the:
We’ll also be seeking member input on the regional boundaries for the purposes of LGA elections under the new Constitution. This will enable the membership of SAROC, GAROC and the LGA Board to be finalised and for new governance structures to come into effect in October 2018. We will run a series of workshops to get your input into these documents, and I will let you know where and when these sessions will be through this newsletter and LGA Circulars. It’s our intention to present the draft Ancillary Documents for endorsement at our AGM in October, to enable them to take effect at the same time as the new Constitution. In the meantime, if you have any feedback on the draft Ancillary Documents please forward your comments to Dr Andrew Johnson at andrew.johnson@lga.sa.gov.au. Sector consultation on rate cappingAs I outlined last week, the LGA will thoroughly consult with councils on the detail of the Liberal Government’s rate capping legislation once it is available. This includes holding a special meeting where members can come together to discuss the proposal, consider a range of options from a sector perspective and then make informed decisions within their councils. We’ve been advised that legislation will be introduced in the Parliament in June and we’ll keep you updated about the timing of our consultation activities, including the special meeting. Thank you Minister KnollLast week Minister Knoll announced he would scrap the planned introduction of permit fees for roadworks during peak periods. These new fees were announced by the State Government last year as regulations under the Road Traffic (Roadworks) Amendment Act 2017, and would have required anyone undertaking works on DPTI roads (or certain City of Adelaide roads) during peak periods to apply for a permit, at a cost of up to $1,000 an hour. The new regulations were set to come into effect this Friday, and would have made council roadworks more expensive, while also increasing red tape for the local government sector. We are always looking for opportunities to drive efficiencies and realise savings for our communities, and I appreciate the Minister intervening to ensure that ratepayers aren’t subjected to additional and unnecessary costs. 2018 Council Elections updateNominations for the 2018 council elections open in a little over three months, and there’s a lot of work being done by both the LGA and councils to make sure we reach as many voters and potential candidates as possible. The LGA has developed a suite of creative materials to help councils promote the elections in their own communities, and these materials have been available to download from our website since last November. It’s great to see these promotional materials being used by councils in different ways. We’re also rolling out a comprehensive pre-election training program, that includes training for council staff on the voter’s roll manual and caretaker provisions, as well as “Make a difference – nominate for council” sessions that will be conducted from July. We are currently redeveloping the candidate’s handbook to better help prospective councillors navigate the process of nominating for council, and understand what’s involved in being a council member. This handbook will be available from the LGA, councils and ECSA by mid-July. By mid-July we’ll also have new promotional videos ready, as well as a redeveloped council elections website, that will ultimately allow voters to search for and find their local candidates. As always, this year’s elections campaign will consist of three phases – Enrol, Nominate and Vote. Many councils have already commenced local promotion of the Enrol phase, and these activities will continue until voter enrolments close on 10 August. The Nominate phase will run from late July until nominations close on 18 September, and the Vote phase will kick off in mid-September, with voting packs set to arrive in October. In addition to council campaigns, there will also be a state-wide campaign that will support and leverage local activities, and I look forward to providing more information on this in the next few weeks. Waste Pathways WorkshopIn conjunction with Green Industries SA, the LGA will hold a Waste Pathways Workshop at Adelaide Pavilion next Tuesday 5 June. The purpose of this event is to consider the impacts of China’s National Sword policy, and identify key projects that can be progressed in the next 12-24 months that will help the local government sector to navigate these changes. The Minister for Environment and Water, the Hon David Speirs MP, will open the workshop. More information about this event – including a draft program – can be found on our website. To register your attendance please click here. For further information or to submit |