THE unprecedented two-day conference on the future of local government in NSW yielded positive results, with the participants delivering a new direction for the local government sector over the next 25 years and a road map for the next four years, Local Government Minister Don Page said.

Speaking at the conclusion of Destination 2036 in Dubbo, Minister Page said he was pleased that the attendees – general managers and mayors of the 152 NSW councils – came to a consensus that changes to the local government sector were required, and knew that the NSW Government is committed to helping it achieve those changes.

“I was delighted with the attendance of the 350 representatives from every council in NSW and the constructive way in which they accepted that change was necessary and were dedicated to contributing to how that change will be achieved in future,” Mr Page said.

“The participants’ input into the future of local government was crucial – they were open and honest about the many varying challenges they face now, and those challenges they anticipate they will meet in the future.

“It is clear that if we do not seek to improve and modernise local government, then there will be communities that are `haves’ and `have-nots’, in terms of the number and quality of services delivered to ratepayers.

“There was a combined 6000 years of local government experience in one room – to have the benefit of their knowledge while reforming and modernising local government was important. I thank them all for their commitment and input.”

Among the key points determined by the conference participants that will be considered by the NSW Government and the Local Government and Shires Associations were:

- A need to clarify the key responsibilities, roles and functions of councils
- A strong endorsement from councils to form or strengthen regional collaborative arrangements, and develop resource sharing partnerships
- An understanding among councils that a variety of models for local government are required, which would be applied to different circumstances in regional, remote, rural or metropolitan councils
- A need to review the State’s legislative framework to ensure the local government sector will have necessary powers to confront future challenges facing communities
- A need for the NSW Government to improve and streamline the process by which voluntary council boundary alterations can be considered and accommodated

The full communiqué of the Destination 2036 conference is online by clicking here.