In response to the Victorian Government’s review of the Local Government Act, the City of Greater Bendigo will consider a submission calling for increased council autonomy.
In a meeting today, Council will consider a formal submission that calls for the Act to allow the freedom for Councils to set their own rates and decide on the ward structure that best suits their municipality.
The submission calls for the Act to recognise local government as a “distinct tier of government” with the overarching principle that councils be answerable to those who elect them “with minimal State Government intervention”.
The submission rejects the idea of a popularly elected Mayor, preferring the status quo where councillors elect the Mayor.
It states the number of wards and the number of councillors per ward should be determined by the council to allow for local community ownership of its governing structure.
“Council submits that the issue of revenue should be determined by the local community who elect the council,” the submission states.
“Applying this principle, a council should determine its own budget and rates and charges suitable for, and answerable to, the community that elect it.”
The submission also considers the impact of cost shifting where the State transfers responsibility to deliver projects and services to local government without funding support.
It recommends that the State provides adequate funding to run the service or change its rate capping regime to allow for rate increases that compensate for the additional costs incurred.
The submission also calls for individual councillors to be dismissed in extreme cases. Under the current Act, individual councillors can be suspended, but not dismissed.
