Circulars

What’s new or changing

• The Annual Report Checklist has been updated.

What this will mean for your council

• Council can use the checklist to ensure that it has included all of the information required under the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act), the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 and other relevant legislation and guidelines in its annual report.

Key points

• Under the Act, councils must prepare an annual report within five months after the end of the year.
• The council must upload a copy of the annual report to its website and provide a copy to the Minister for Local Government (the Minister) and such other persons and bodies as regulations apply. Council can notify the Minister by providing a URL link to the Office of Local Government (olg@olg.nsw.gov.au).
• Councils should ensure they report performance against targets, outcomes, efficiency and cost effectiveness over time.
• Councils which held elections in 2017:
  o are exempt from the requirement under s.428A of the Act for a council to include in its annual report a report as to the State of the Environment, and
  o are required to detail council’s achievements in implementing the community strategic plan over the previous two years in annual reports of the year in which an ordinary election of councillors is held (2020).
• For councils which held elections in 2017 there are no exceptions to reporting requirements under other Acts, nor to the data provision requirements of other agencies. These councils should continue to meet these obligations where applicable.

Where to go for further information

• The annual report checklist is available on the Office of Local Government’s website at www.olg.nsw.gov.au.

Tim Hurst
Chief Executive