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OrdinarySupplementary Agenda
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OrdinarySupplementary Agenda
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Council 29 November 2017
In accordance with the resolution of Council 20 September 2017, this section of the agenda will be chaired by the Mayor.
13.5 Joint Organisation membership...................................................................................................... 4
Council |
29 November 2017 |
In accordance with the resolution of Council of 20 September 2017 this section of the agenda will be chaired by the Mayor.
13.5 Joint Organisation membership............................................................................ 4
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Council 29 November 2017 |
Item 13.5 |
The State Government is in process of formalising the creation of Joint Organisations. It will be voluntary to join such an organisation and Council needs to formally consider as to whether it wishes to be part of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation
General Manager
Joint Organisations are a key component of the local government reform process and have the ability to transform the way in which the State Government and local government collaborates and sets regional priorities to support local communities. The Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CBRJO) has been one of the strongest advocates to the State Government for formally creating Joint Organisations. CBRJO is a joint organisation by name only and not supported by legislation, currently operating as an unincorporated association, auspiced by Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council.
The State Government passed legislation for the formal creation of Joint Organisations under the Local Government Amendment (Regional Joint Organisations) Bill 2017 on Wednesday 22 November 2017. This now allows councils in regional NSW to resolve to voluntarily create Joint Organisations.
Joint Organisations can be formed with a minimum of 3 councils and those councils must lie within a State Planning Region as shown on figure 1 below:
Figure 1 – State Planning Regions
Bega Valley Shire Council is one of the 8 membership Councils of the CBRJO, the other Councils being Yass Valley, Eurobodalla, Queanbeyan Palerang, Snowy Monaro, Goulburn Mulwaree and Hilltops.
To be part of a proclaimed Joint Organisation each Council must resolve that its area be included within the area of the proposed joint organisation area.
Council now needs to formally consider as to whether it wishes to be part of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation.
The State Government will provide $3.3m to support the establishment of the regional joint organisations.
Councils have freedom to choose, there is no compulsion to join a joint organisation.
The proposed start date of legislation is 1 July 2018.
Joint organisations will only be established where the relevant councils agree to join a joint organisation.
Where the Minister wishes to recommend the proclamation of a joint organisation, the Minister must certify that the relevant council has passed a resolution approving inclusion of the council's area in the joint organisation's area.
Principal functions of a joint organisation are to focus on effective strategic planning and project delivery across regions including identifying the region's strategic priorities are developing a plan on how to deliver them.
Joint organisation's strategic regional priorities need to be set in the context of the relevant strategic plans of member councils and the State Government. It does not mean that there has to be consistency between the three areas of strategic planning, but it ensures that the plans will not exist in total isolation from each other.
We have become increasingly aware of the critical importance of ensuring local priority projects are listed in these regional plans and advocated on appropriately.
Joint organisations will have the ability, with the agreement of member councils, to engage in service delivery to or on behalf of councils, including capacity building for councils themselves. This gives joint organisations the option of providing councils with more efficient mechanisms for shared services where councils choose to assign those services to the joint organisation. Eg services like information technology, human resources management, waste services management, library services and community strategic planning.
A council can delegate a function to the joint organisation but only with the approval of the board of the JO.
Voting members of the Board will be the Mayors of each Council.
Provisions are provided within the legislation for Councils to make financial contributions to the operation of the JO.
With the very strong direction of the State Government to working with regions across the State it is critically important for Councils to be at regional meetings to get key local and regional projects from this area on the agenda. The Councils in the proposed JO area are all covered by the South East and Tablelands Regional Plan, the Premiers region, a large number of other State agency regions, and the new Destination Southern NSW.
Being an active member of a JO is a key strategy in the Councils adopted plans.
Participation in a JO will continue to be a significant advantage in development of shared services and improved outcomes for local government.
Membership of, and active participation in a JO is a key action in the operational plan. Importantly this has resulted in Bega Valley Shire Council’s key infrastructure and asset priorities forming part of a significant lobbying program to government for funding. There are waste and planning working groups which have representation from Bega Valley through the Director and appropriate managers.
Working groups and sub-commitees across the region have successfully participated in a number of projects and programs related to the environment and sustainability including biosecurity legislation briefings, waste management, LED and smart light technology roll out across the region, the South East and Tablelands regional plan implementation, coastal programs and others. There is an infrastructure working group which has representation from Bega Valley through the Director and appropriate managers.
Working groups and sub-commitees across the region have successfully participated in a number of projects and programs related to the economic development, tourism, community, housing, social and health (including mental health) issues. There is an economic development working group which has representation from Bega Valley through the appropriate manager.
The Mayor attends Board meetings. The General Manager sits on the Operational Implementation level of the JO – the General Managers Advisory Committee which meets six weekly. Other activity happens out of session and increasingly via teleconference. Key staff also participate in an as needed basis.
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Funding source |
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Amount |
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Membership allocated in budget paid for 2017/18 |
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29,975 |
With the continual move from State and Federal Government to regional priority setting non-participation has the risk of key Bega Valley issues not being on the agenda in critical meetings with these levels of government. Some Councillors have continued to advocate for Council to stand alone and lobby for local issues to the exclusion of participating in these regional bodies. Doing our own lobbying has merit and should of course continue however not being on the agenda for these key regional advocacy and leadership discussions has the potential to see our critical projects not being considered in regional discussions.
In the past when Council has made submissions on the Joint Organisation a key issue has been an appropriate name. Whilst the current Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CBRJO) has some traction it is key that the name of the body accurately reflect the region is covers, specifically as this is will be a NSW government entity.
Key for our region relationships with the ACT and Canberra are important and there is a Memorandum of Understanding between the NSW and ACT governments and one between the current CBRJO and the ACT. However a name such as Canberra (or Capital) Region and South East (or South Coast) NSW Joint Organisation would better reflect the area. Whilst this is semantics it will become key when the body is legislated.
The only two options are to join or not to join.
The past 12 months has seen our current organisation, the CBRJO, mature to the point where there is now very strong collaboration between all member Councils and the region has a very respectful ear of the State Government in regards to regional issues. This has also been evident in relationships with the State members and Ministers, the ACT, Canberra Airport, and key Federal Ministers.
The advantages of a JO in regards to advocacy, collaboration, efficiency and alignment of priorities well and truly outweigh the financial impact and commitment required by Council staff and the Mayor.
Nil