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Recognising sound financial management in WA

Local Governments demonstrating sound financial management practices were recently recognised in the Western Australian Local Government Minister’s Financial Management Awards. Finalists are selected from the budgets submitted annually to the Department of Local Government and Regional Development.

They are then required to prove compliance with Financial Management Regulations and submit for judging:

• monthly Financial Reports that are presented to Council
• auditors report
• principal activities plan
• annual report.

After being selected as a finalist for a number of years, Chapman Valley has finally succeeded in winning the Minister’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Management and Reporting for the 2002/2003 financial year for small rural and country regional governments.

Chief Executive Officer, Paul Sheedy, said the award recognises the Shire as having the best financial management and reporting in the State for a small rural or regional council.

Winners of certificates of merit in the same category were Shire of Tambellup and Three Springs. Tambellup Chief Executive Officer, Joanne Trezona, said the main emphasis of the financial plan was to keep it simple.

“We wanted to meet the compliance and to explain to Council about the financial situation,” she said. Three Springs Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Jane Callis, said their financial reporting focused on linking monthly, quarterly and annual reports to give a clear picture of where Council was heading.

“The system also gives an opportunity for Councillors to look at road and building maintenance,” she said. “The awards give us an opportunity to get feedback on our budgetary processes.”

In rural Local Governments, the Shire of Shark Bay won a certificate of excellence with the Shires of Exmouth and Capel winning certificates of merit.

For metropolitan Local Governments, the City of Bayswater won the certificate of excellence, with Swan and Melville receiving a certificates of merit.

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