Each edition we feature the views of a State Local Government Association President. The following is from Councillor Bill Bott, President NSW Shires Association.
In recent years, Local Government within rural NSW has suffered from the inability to raise sufficient revenue to be able to meet an increasing demand for service delivery. This has occurred as a direct result of the arbitrary constraint of rate pegging as well as the increased devolution of functions and responsibilities from both State and Commonwealth Governments to Local Government without the required increased funding.
Together with a decline in population as a result of the impact of rural recession, the situation has arisen where Councils have been confronted with the problem of the increased costs being borne by fewer citizens. Often the response has seen a reduction in service delivery. In this context, the most critical challenge is to avoid the temptation to reduce our effort.
Rather we need to ensure that we maximise the effectiveness of our available resources by critically examining our procedures and our structures and, if required, have the courage to accept the need for change and make the necessary adjustment.
A major challenge is to ensure a more effective management of our natural resources. This may well require the establishment of a cooperative partnership with both neighbouring Councils on a catchment basis and with government agencies.
We need to ensure that we are an integral part of the solution to environmental problems rather than being seen as reluctant participants, who often excuse our lack of involvement on the grounds of being under resourced.
An immediate challenge will be to ensure that in the context of the up coming taxation debate there is no further reduction in financial assistance to Local Government. Nor any opportunity for a State Government seeking new revenue sources to encroach upon the traditional Local Government revenue base of property rating.
We need both a process and an outcome, which delivers the financial capacity for our Councils to achieve the required level of expenditure in order to assure the long term future and sustainability of our communities.
While questions related to Local Government efficiency; structural change, including the possibility of amalgamation; taxation reform; and environmental management are all major challenges, the greatest challenge for each elected Councillor will continue to be to ensure the welfare of the people and the progressive management of the whole area he or she represents.
