Circular Details	Circular No 18-01 / 9 February 2018 / A581427
Previous Circular	Not applicable
Who should read this	Councillors / General Managers / All council staff
Contact	Melissa Gibbs, Director Policy and Sector Development, melissa.gibbs@olg.nsw.gov.au; (02) 4428 4174
Action required	Information
PDF Version of Circular	18-01 Establishment of a Council Engagement Team

What’s new or changing
• OLG is changing the way it engages with councils.
• A key step is the establishment of a Council Engagement Team.

What this will mean for your council
• The Council Engagement Team will:
   o work closely with councils and Joint Organisations
   o identify emerging issues and opportunities for OLG to address
   o implement programs to support improved council performance
   o build working relationships with State agencies.
• OLG will be establishing six new positions – Council Engagement Managers – to work more closely with councils across the state.

Key points
• The Council Engagement Team will include six new Council Engagement Manager positons, whose role will be to:
   o develop and build relationships with councils and Joint Organisations
   o determine and identify emerging issues affecting councils and those that are likely to eventuate; and identify solutions and initiatives to respond
   o provide information and assistance to councils on State Government policy priorities
   o facilitate effective working relationships between State and local government agencies and improve collaboration and support
   o develop and deliver programs to support councils.
• Council Engagement Managers will travel extensively, and will work with clusters of councils on a regional basis.
• The Council Engagement Team will work closely with the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s regional directors and established regional collaboration processes.
• Some Council Engagement Managers will be based in Sydney to work with councils in the metropolitan area.
• Recruitment action has commenced, and appointments should be finalised by the end of March 2018.

Where to go for further information
• Once appointed, Council Engagement Managers will be in touch with councils to further outline their role and to discuss how councils would like to engage with the Council Engagement Team.
• In the meantime, please contact Melissa Gibbs, Director Policy and Sector Development at OLG on (02) 4428 4174 or melissa.gibbs@olg.nsw.gov.au for further information

Tim Hurst
Acting Chief Executive