Minister removes council authority

Harvey Grennan
SMH August 31, 2010

CESSNOCK CITY COUNCIL has been stripped of its powers to determine development applications worth more than $1 million after it refused a ministerial direction alleged to be illegal.

…

“The reasons the minister advances for removing the council’s planning powers are spurious to say the least,” the Greens’ planning spokeswoman, Sylvia Hale, said.

Full story

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/minister-removes-council-authority-20100830-147ez.html

Barbara Perry MP Minister for Local Government (Media release) August 16, 2010

Latest council data snapshot released

Minister for Local Government Barbara Perry today released the Snapshot of NSW Councils, a report that shows data for of all 152 councils across key indicators for 2008/09.

The report, based on data supplied by councils to the Division of Local Government, shows councils charged NSW ratepayers an average of $760 in yearly rates in 08/09, an increase from the previous year’s average of $732.

The report found that Hunters Hill Council charged its residents the state’s highest average residential rates of $1203, an increase from $1167 the previous year. Residents of Brewarrina Shire Council were charged the least, with average residential rates of just $98.62.

Ms Perry released the Snapshot of NSW Councils report today saying it provided an important tool for ratepayers.

“Now in its 19th year, this report allows ratepayers across the state to examine what is going on in their local area,” Ms Perry said.

“It provides key information on all councils in NSW and is a great tool for ratepayers and councils.”

…

Ms Perry said: “With 152 councils across the state, it is fascinating to see the differences in the councils and their communities.”

The full Snapshot of NSW Councils report is available at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au

Also: dlg circular to councils:

Circular No.10/20 Date 23 August 2010 Doc ID.A192564

SNAPSHOT OF NSW COUNCILS – COMPARATIVE INFORMATION ON NSW LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS 2008/09

The Snapshot of NSW Councils – Comparative Information on NSW Local Government Councils for 2008/09 publication has been released by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Barbara Perry MP.

A PDF version of this publication, and updated time series data excel spreadsheet, are available by selecting ‘Publications’ and ‘Comparative Information’ on the Division of Local Government’s website at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.

The information contained in the publication is largely based on data provided by councils. The Division of Local Government makes every effort to ensure that the information contained in the publication is accurate

Ross Woodward
Chief Executive, Local Government
A Division of the Department of Premier and Cabinet
————-

For the document go to:
http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Comparatives/Comparatives_2008_09.pdf

and see also

http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_compIndex.asp?documenttype=comptime&mi=3&ml=2

We can thank the NSW ALP for the invasion of parking meters in the Wollongong CBD area.

These unwanted parking meters have caused enormous problems for local businesses and a host of lesser annoyances for a great number of people.

The people of Wollongong did not request these money machines to be placed in our streets. This is not the Wollongong way. Wollongong people have our own culture and our own way of life – and this does not involve parking meters. Nor are parking meters appropriate in a multifocal city of our kind, where we have many different local centres.

It has often been said, during the resulting debate about installing parking meters, that they would never have been possible if we had an elected Council. That most people would agree with this is a real admission that some unelected people sought to bypass the democratic will of the people of Wollongong. As a result the parking meters are the embodiment of bad faith.

These parking meters were forced onto our communities as a result of the ‘alien’ vision of life. The alien vision which the three Administrators brought with them when they arrived here from other places.

Thinking that parking meters worked elsewhere (and there is more that a suggestion that even this is not correct) the Administrators – after having made an initial gross misjudgement – have persisted with an attempt to tough it out.

Clearly the three Administrators thought parking meters for the CBD were a good idea – since no one else did and they alone were calling the shots!

But we must look passed the major failings of the three senior technocrats.

Knowing nothing of the local culture, their limited world-views were empowered by the workings of the NSW ALP government when that government unfairly dismissed our non-corrupt, honest and hard working elected Councillors (which also included some ALP Councillors). The NSW ALP Government appointed these Administrators. This allowed the world-view of three non-Wollongong people to completely override the views of the vast majority of us Wollongongians.

The NSW ALP Government has consistently refused requests to restore democracy to the Wollongong City Council, even if that required having some form of interim period in which any reforms recommended by the ICAC inquiry could be bedded down with an advising Administrator present as well.

While it is clear that the immediate burden of blame for the parking meter fiasco rests at the feet of the three Administrators the longer term blame rests entirely with the NSW ALP Government.

Remember that when the NSW State election comes around.

And when the Council elections finally do restore democracy to our city – vote for those who will remove the unwelcome legacy of the Administrators by removing the parking meters.

Such is the real spirit of our city.

Bruce Reyburn
Coledale

There are people who say that local government has nothing to do with the Federal election. How wrong they are.

The issue of gaining Constitutional recognition and protection for local government is one which is long overdue for the attention of Australia’s peoples.

Protection includes preventing State government from unfair sacking of non-corrupt elected Councillors, and the need to have immediate by-elections to replace Councillors deemed to be corrupt (or unfit for office) by a competent tribunal or other body. Local democracy at all times needs to be the bottom line.

The need for strong local government, guaranteed a place (and funding) in the system of Australia’s systems of governance, is the need to ground the whole decision-making process in our communities and our actual lives.

Without this grounding our communities interests are regularly sidelined and factored out by Federal representatives who are themselves captive to their political parties. Their primary allegiance is not to their local constituency but to the power brokers within their own parties who hold the keys to preselection and other benefits flowing from access to power.

These political parties, dinosaurs from a previous age, are easy targets for commercial and other exploitative forces which do not have our communities best interests at heart.

Strong local government, charged with looking after our communities best interests, is part of the corrective counter-balance to these exploitative forces.

A key part of a design for effective and strong local government is the inclusion of democratic community committees (of the Precinct Committee or Community Board type), which can supplement (but not replace) the roles and duties of elected Councillors. These community committees need to be about the size of Wards.

This key feature must also be part of a people’s model of local government in any Constitutional reform.

It is not surprising that the major political parties are silent on the issue of Constitution recognition for local government in the present election campaign. A few members of a political party have greatly concentrated power and a very unhealthy ability to insert their will for that of the Australian people (as we just saw with how those in the ALP deposed PM Rudd).

These political power brokers and the even the elected Members of Parliament who are major party members, are not our champions, and never will be unless people demand that they take effective and real action to bring a dangerously unearthed system of governance back down to ground by empowering local communities.

The parking meter fiasco in Wollongong clearly shows what can happen without protection for elected and accountable local government.

Local government issues not part of the Federal election? Think again.

Ask your local candidates just what they propose to do, if elected, to ensure Constitutional recognition and protection for local government.

Cheers

Bruce Reyburn
18 August 2010

BY LAUREL-LEE RODERICK Illawarra Mercury
18 Aug, 2010

Minister for Local Government Barbara Perry this week released a report card comparing the state’s 152 councils for 2008-09.

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Wollongong and Shellharbour councils also recorded residential rates well above the NSW average of $760, to be ranked 14th and 22nd respectively.

Residential rates averaged $944 in Wollongong and $864 in Shellharbour

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In Wollongong, spending on community services – such as child care, youth and family services – averaged just $21 per person.

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Wollongong spent $35 per person on the environment and health, …

full story and comparisons with other Illawarra Councils at:
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/illawarra-council-rates-among-dearest-in-nsw/1915853.aspx

From Office of the General Manager to CCNC/NF2 August meeting, in response to question from July meeting:

“Council has just finalised an initial review of Environmental Factors for dogs on beaches and is discussing the details with a number of agencies.The
forum will be notified as soon as a decision is made.”

How about discussing the details with a number of Neighbourhood Forums as well?