Circulars

What’s new or changing

• A promotional flyer has been produced to provide information to General Managers and Councillors on the upcoming “Hit the Ground Running” Councillor Workshops.
• The promotional flyer is attached to this Circular.
• Online registrations are now open for General Managers to enroll themselves and their Councillors to attend one of the workshops.

What this will mean for your council

General Managers are asked to:

• widely promote the workshops and strongly encourage attendance, including by putting relevant workshop dates/locations in the council calendar, including an item on the agenda of a Council meeting and providing information about the workshops (using the promotional flyer);
• co-ordinate the registration of Councillors to attend a workshop; and
• attend one of the workshops to ensure awareness of the latest information provided to councillors by OLG.

Key points

• Being a councillor is an important role that carries with it significant responsibilities to the community. Councillors owe it to their communities to take personal responsibility for their learning and to equip themselves with the skills and knowledge necessary to perform their role effectively.
• As a result of the Phase 1 amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 and proposed amendments to the Regulation, councils will soon be required to support councillors with their learning. Councils will soon be required to:
  • develop an induction program for newly-elected and returning Councillors, and a special supplementary program for the Mayor;
  • develop each year an ongoing professional development program for the Mayor and each councillor; and
  • consult with Councillors and consider their specific needs in tailoring a program for each Councillor.
• Councillors will in turn have a responsibility to participate in the training their council arranges for them. Councils will be required to publicly report on each Councillor’s participation in the training arranged for them.
• On-line registrations for the workshops can be accessed through the Fit for the Future secure council portal. If you don’t have a personal login, please apply for one here
• To ensure that Councillors do not miss out, General Managers are asked to co-ordinate and register attendance as soon as possible using the Fit for the Future login details.
• If you have any queries or require any changes to be made to any of your Council’s registrations, please advise the One Stop Shop by email to onestopshop@fitforthefuture.nsw.gov.au

Where to go for further information

• The promotional flyer is also available on the Office of Local Government’s website www.olg.nsw.gov.au
• Any queries about the workshops can be directed to your Relationship Manager via the One Stop Shop email address onestopshop@fitforthefuture.nsw.gov.au

Tim Hurst

Acting Chief Executive