At the outset protocol arrangements are agreed with each Council or group of Councils that are party to the negotiation of a single Agreement.
These arrangements set out the following.
- The State and Local Government parties to the Agreement
- The process and timetable for negotiations
- The negotiating team and consultation arrangements, including arrangements for consulting with identified key stakeholders
- Intended outputs and outcomes
- Joint arrangements for informing the media and community of progress being made.
Prior to preliminary discussions, State Government bodies and Council exchange information on relevant service delivery activities in the area. Using their Strategic Plan as a guide, Council information is expected to include a description of desired economic and social objectives for the region. The State Government will also provide relevant information on priority industries in the Council’s area.
The Government has urged Councils to ensure that community views are taken into account in determining its position on particular issues. Undertaking consultation, to determine community views and priorities prior to entering into discussions on the Agreement is vital.
The Partnership Agreements also include performance indicators, particularly in relation to financial management and service delivery. This will enable benefits that are anticipated from the Agreements to be measured. Councils will report on the outcomes in their annual reports while the State Government will report annually to Parliament.
The duration of the Partnership Agreements is determined by parties to the Agreement. A flexible approach will be taken to any further development of the Agreement. To ensure that they remain relevant and appropriate, the Agreements will be subject to ongoing amendments and improvement.
