Local Government Amalgamations Both a Challenge and an Opportunity

 

The NSW local government sector is currently facing unprecedented change. With 42 councils replaced by 19 new councils through the NSW Government’s ‘Fit for the Future’ council amalgamations in May 2016, the new councils are in the midst of a challenging transition. Additional mergers have been proposed which will potentially affect up to 31 existing councils.

 

While in the short term many NSW local governments may focus on the complexity of amalgamating their organisations and standardising systems and back end processing, medium to long term opportunities, such as engaging communities in articulating and implementing a vision for their new local government area, are incredibly exciting. Working together to think about a shared the future provides a platform for the newly formed community to come together in a positive way and collaborate with each other and with their new councils about what services and levels of service they need now and in the future.

 

As the newly merged councils manage and implement the NSW Government reforms to local government, the University of Technology Sydney Centre for Local Government is able to provide expertise and a unique partnership approach to working with local governments and communities. As experts in local government, we undertake a wide range of research and projects to help local governments across Australia deliver services, engage with their community, and to shape their social, economic and environmental future.

 

The Centre regularly publishes research reports, practitioner resources and sector information for the benefit of the broader local government sector. One of the Centre’s recent signature research projects, ‘Why Local Government Matters’, has captured community attitudes to local government nationally. The research findings confirm the value of local government to communities, with a key role being local government as ‘place-shapers’ and the tier of government best able to make decisions about their local area.

 

We have also recently undertaken work for Regional Joint Organisations, and found it to be a highly effective mechanism for collaboration between state and local governments, local businesses and community organisations to develop programs that will deliver results at the local level.

 

Our team regularly undertakes consultancy engagements such as:

In addition, we deliver specialised masters and short courses to local government elected members, executives and managers on a wide range of subjects such as evaluation, enhancing service delivery and public participation.

 

The Centre is also on the NSW Government - Local Government Amalgamation Supplier Panel which means that councils can commission work from pre-qualified suppliers on the Panel without the need to go to tender. More: Local Government Procurement.