President's comment
Each edition we feature the views of a
State Local Government Association President. The following is from
Councillor Bill Bott, President NSW Shires Association.
In recent years, Local Government within rural NSW has suffered
from the inability to raise sufficient revenue to be able to meet an
increasing demand for service delivery. This has occurred as a direct
result of the arbitrary constraint of rate pegging as well as the
increased devolution of functions and responsibilities from both
State and Commonwealth Governments to Local Government without the
required increased funding.
Together with a decline in population as a result of the impact of
rural recession, the situation has arisen where Councils have been
confronted with the problem of the increased costs being borne by
fewer citizens. Often the response has seen a reduction in service
delivery. In this context, the most critical challenge is to avoid
the temptation to reduce our effort.
Rather we need to ensure that we maximise the effectiveness of our
available resources by critically examining our procedures and our
structures and, if required, have the courage to accept the need for
change and make the necessary adjustment.
A major challenge is to ensure a more effective management of our
natural resources. This may well require the establishment of a
cooperative partnership with both neighbouring Councils on a
catchment basis and with government agencies.
We need to ensure that we are an integral part of the solution to
environmental problems rather than being seen as reluctant
participants, who often excuse our lack of involvement on the grounds
of being under resourced.
An immediate challenge will be to ensure that in the context of
the up coming taxation debate there is no further reduction in
financial assistance to Local Government. Nor any opportunity for a
State Government seeking new revenue sources to encroach upon the
traditional Local Government revenue base of property rating.
We need both a process and an outcome, which delivers the
financial capacity for our Councils to achieve the required level of
expenditure in order to assure the long term future and
sustainability of our communities.
While questions related to Local Government efficiency; structural
change, including the possibility of amalgamation; taxation reform;
and environmental management are all major challenges, the greatest
challenge for each elected Councillor will continue to be to ensure
the welfare of the people and the progressive management of the whole
area he or she represents.
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