18-02 – Supporting Joint Organisation success – Consultation on regulations and extension to the nomination deadline

With more than half of regional and rural NSW councils having already resolved to join a Joint Organisation (JO), results have been encouraging. A few councils have requested an extension and, to make it fair across the board, the NSW Government has decided to extend the period by which all councils must submit nominations to be part of a JO to 23 March 2018.

18-01 – Establishment of a Council Engagement Team

OLG is changing the way it engages with councils. A key step is the establishment of a Council Engagement Team. The Council Engagement Team will work closely with councils and Joint Organisations, identify, emerging issues and opportunities for OLG to address, implement programs to support improved council performance and build working relationships with State agencies.

16-52 – Induction and Ongoing Professional Development for Mayors and Councillors

The recent Phase 1 amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) have seen the inclusion in the prescribed role of councillors under section 232 a responsibility “to make all reasonable efforts to acquire and maintain the skills necessary to perform the role of a councillor”. In support of this, the amendments allow regulations to be made for induction and other professional development for Mayors and Councillors.

16-49 – Fit for the Future Improvement Plans and Integrated Planning and Reporting

In 2015, all councils prepared an Improvement Plan to demonstrate how they would become Fit for the Future. As councils undertake the next cycle of Integrated Planning and Reporting, it is important that the strategies and actions identified in the Improvement Plans are reflected in the new Delivery Program and Resourcing Strategy. Councils are reminded that the Office of Local Government will monitor councils’ performance against the Fit for the Future benchmarks over time.

16-50 – Integrated Planning and Reporting requirements for councils with deferred elections

This Circular provides advice to those councils with deferred elections (see list below) in relation to their Integrated Planning and Reporting requirements until their next local government elections occur.

16-51 – Further Phase 1 amendments to the Local Government Act commence and amending regulation made

s notified in Circular 16-30, the NSW Parliament passed amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 (the LGA) in the Local Government Amendment (Governance and Planning) Act 2016. These reforms are known as the Phase 1 amendments.

16-48 – Special Variation and Minimum Rate Variation Guidelines and Process for 2017/18

New councils and those where a merger is pending due to legal proceedings will not be eligible for a special or minimum rate variation for the 2017/18 rating year. The Guidelines outline the process for all other councils seeking to apply for a special or minimum rate variation for 2017/18.

16-47 – Update of Parking Area Agreement Guidelines and release of fact sheets on free parking area and strata/community parking area agreements

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 commenced on 30 November 2016, allowing strata and community schemes to apply to their local council to enter into an agreement to enforce parking restrictions in a scheme. This complements long-standing powers under the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act), allowing private landowners to apply to their local council to enter into a free parking area agreement.

16-46 – Development of a Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW

The recent amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) provide for a model code of meeting practice (model meeting code) to be prescribed by regulation. Work on developing the model meeting code has now commenced. The code will contain both mandatory and non-mandatory provisions. Once the model meeting code is finalised, and prescribed by regulation, councils will be required to adopt a code of meeting practice that incorporates its mandatory provisions. Councils’ codes of meeting practice must not contain provisions that are inconsistent with the mandatory provisions of the model meeting code.

16-45 – NSW Government response to the Independent Review of Swimming Pool Regulation

The NSW Government has released the Final Report of Mr Michael Lambert’s Independent Review of Swimming Pool Regulation, along with its response.