President of the Local Government Association of New South Wales, Councillor Genia McCaffery, said that the theme of this year’s annual conference, Meeting Expectations … Can We? highlights the greatest challenge facing Local Government today. That is, the expectations of communities are increasing at a faster rate than the resources of Councils.
“Over the next few days we will reinforce our commitment to existing policies and determine new ones,’” she stated in her Presidential address to the conference. “Our policies are not a wish list or a shopping list from which we can pick and choose. They are a disciplined platform of action, which we will take into negotiations with the State and Federal Governments.”
Referring to the LGA’s recent launch of its inquiry into the sustainability of Local Government funding, Councillor McCaffery said, “I am sure even we will be shocked by just how much we are spending on housing, aged care, childcare, pension rate rebates, meals on wheels and regional and rural health services, just to name a few of the State and Federal responsibilities we now fund.”
She said that the inquiry will also focus on Local Government performance, and what it needs to do to improve its game.
“It will provide constructive criticism of the way we operate,” she said. “And the tools to help us manage better and negotiate a fair deal with State and Federal Governments.”
Also speaking at the conference New South Wales Minister for Local Government, Kerry Hickey, left delegates under no misapprehension that ratepegging is here to stay. He said Councils should “do their homework and keep their house in order” if they wanted more money from the Government. He also warned Councils that he would not accept special rate applications of more than 10 per cent, instead advising Councils that they should apply for small increases over a number of years.
“Make sure your rate variation isn’t excessive on the ratepayer and doesn’t impact on the ratepayer, and if you want to go through a period of incremental increases we can look at that,” Minister Hickey said.
During the conference proceedings, delegates voted to establish a working party to investigate the possibility of amalgamating the Local Government Association and the New South Wales Shires Association.
