The Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) has launched a first in training for its elected members with six online training modules to assist new and returning Councillors.
The modules have been designed to complement the face to face training programs run by the Local Government Association Education and Training service and individual council inhouse induction programs.
LGASA President Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis said that new Councillors need to develop specialised skills to enable them to conduct council business effectively.
“Councils are very diverse businesses,” Mayor Lewis said. “Council members have to look at a vast range of community issues and requirements and ensure good governance under the Local Government and other Acts. It is important that new Councillors quickly gain and maintain the skills needed to function well in their new role.”
The six training modules include:
- roles and responsibilities of councils
- roles and responsibilities of council members
- conflict of interest
- register of interests
- council and committee meeting procedures
- financial management and reporting.
“The modules were piloted with a group of councils’ governance staff, CEOs and councillors prior to the Local Government elections,” Mayor Lewis said.
“LGASA received excellent feedback on the training, which will also assist councils to satisfy their obligations under the Local Government Act 1999 to support training and development opportunities for council members through a formal Training Policy.
“Returning Councillors are also encouraged to enrol for the training modules as a refresher. It’s an easy way for Elected Members, who are often time challenged to undertake training in their own time, and also for those from regional and remote councils who would normally be faced with travelling to Adelaide for training courses.”
Each module provides information on the topic, followed by quizzes and/or case studies to assist users to check their understanding of the information they have just read.
