How to find out more The best way to find out about Local Government is to contact your local council.

Your local council: Ŷ Produces information for residents and ratepayers. Ŷ Can tell you the name of your elected representatives and how to contact them. Ŷ Can give you the names of you general manager and senior staff.

If there is an issue you want to discuss, you can talk to council staff or to councillors. Most councils encourage school visits so that students can see how they operate first hand. There are also specialist publications on Local Government (community services, housing, industrial relations) produced by the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW and by the Department of Local Government. Visit www.lgsa.org.au or www.dlg.nsw.gov.au Bulk copies of this pamphlet are available at a very reasonable cost by contacting the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW on 02 9242 4000, or email [email protected] or visit our website www.lgsa.org.au/Pulications

about your

local

council

working for your community © Local Government Association of NSW and Shires Association of NSW GPO Box 7003 Sydney NSW 2001

Charges Another way councils get money is by charging a fee for some of the services they provide. Councils charge for collecting garbage, some charge you to dump rubbish at the tip or to swim in the council pool. You must pay to have a building application approved and to register your dog. Grants Councils also get money from State and Federal Government grants. Sometimes councils can decide how it will spend the grant. Other times the grant is for a specific purpose, like for roadworks. Loans Councils can borrow money for major projects.

what is local

government?

Local Government in Australia is the third sphere of government. Councils range in size, population, structure and in the services they provide.

Councils work for their community by: Ŷ Providing a wide range of services and facilities, and giving support to many others. Ŷ Protecting the community, making sure their environment is safe and clean. Ŷ Preventing things that would harm the community, such as disease, noise and pollution. Ŷ Planning for the future of the community. Ŷ Representing the needs and desires of local communities to other governments and to other organisations. Councils operate within the legislative framework laid down by the State Government. Their powers and responsibilities derive mainly from the Local Government Act 1993. The Local Government system in NSW has existed for over 150 years. Sydney Council was established in 1842, even before responsible state government was granted. In 1859 more councils were established, including Albury, Goulburn, Randwick and Shellharbour. Rural councils, known as Shires, were established from 1906.

What do councils do? Councils control such things as garbage removal, local roads, buildings, parks and libraries, child care, youth services, social planning and the local environment in general as well as many other resident services. Councils work together with the Federal and State Governments in a number of areas, like making sure that the risk of damage from flooding is as small as possible.

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Looking after the environment Recreation Roads and bridges are not the only public places that have to be maintained. Councils also build and maintain halls and other public buildings, like the council chambers and the regional art gallery. Water management Water is piped to homes, shops and factories from dams where it is stored. Waste water is taken away through drains and sewers. In Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, a water supplier does this job. Nearly everywhere else, it is the job of the local council.

Most councils run public libraries, which are staffed by librarians. Sometimes services like the library may be provided jointly by a group of councils. Not all the people working for the council work at the town hall or the council chambers. There are many more people who work out in the community, like garbage collectors, gardeners and road workers. Some councils also use contractors to perform some of their functions.

Waste management Every community needs to get rid of its waste. Local councils: Ŷ Arrange for garbage to be collected Ŷ Operate tips and incinerators Ŷ Clean streets, footpaths, beaches, parks and other public places Ŷ Arrange for waste to be recycled. Planning Your local council controls and regulates how most land is used in the area. It decides: Ŷ Where new roads and houses should go Ŷ What should be protected as bushland or historic areas Ŷ How many buildings can go in a certain area.

Paying for what councils do

Building control and preservation Plans for all new buildings must be approved by the council. This is to make sure that they are safe and well built. Anyone who wants to build or alter a house or a building must first get approval from their council. If a building has historical importance, the person wishing to make alterations may be subject to heritage guidelines.

There are four main ways councils get the money to pay for all the things they do.

Weed control Particularly in rural areas, it is very important to keep weeds under control to keep agricultural land and forest in good condition.

Each year, the owners of properties must pay rates to the council. The amount they pay depends on the value of their land. The owner of a small flat will pay much less than the owner of a factory or large property.

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Rates Much of a council’s money comes from taxes on land. These taxes are called rates.

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Who works for councils?

Looking after people

Every council employs a general manager. Community services Councils often provide:

His/her responsibilities include: Ŷ Employing council staff

Ŷ Baby health centres

Ŷ Making sure that the money that council receives and spends is accounted for.

Ŷ Meals-on-wheels for elderly and sick people

Ŷ Ensuring that council records are looked after properly.

Ŷ Housing and activities for elderly people

Clerical staff, computer operators, accountants, rate clerks, property valuers and other specialists help with administration. All councils employ engineering staff. Engineers are responsible for public works – roads, streets, bridges, parks, gardens and special projects.

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councils work with their communities to look after the environment

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Many councils also employ specialists like traffic and mechanical engineers.

Ŷ Drop-in centres and activities fro young people. Ŷ Libraries and culture Councils maintain libraries so that people can access information and borrow books free of charge. Some councils have art galleries and theatre. They may also provide public halls for groups in the community to use. Public health and safety Councils make sure their area stays healthy by: Ŷ Destroying rats and vermin Ŷ Making sure that public buildings, restaurants and shops are clean Ŷ Providing public toilets Ŷ Registering dogs and collecting strays Ŷ Immunising people against disease Ŷ Coordinating road safety and parking patrol officers.

Many Councils have sustainability to foster the objectives of ecological sustainable development. Environmental health surveyors look after public health and make sure that the environment is clean and safe. Local government planners ensure that building and other development occurs in an orderly way. They prepare plans setting out what activities can take place and where. Building surveyors approve building applications and check construction work to make sure that building rules are followed. Many councils employ childcare workers to operate childcare centres and before/after school centres. They also manage senior citizens centres and meals-on-wheels services. Some councils employ youth officers, recreation officers and community liaison officers.

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Parks and public gardens are also looked after by your local council. As well as playing fields, sports centres, swimming pools, tennis courts and golf courses.

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Looking after transport infrastructure Councils in NSW maintain over 140,000 kilometres of local roads. They are responsible for: Ŷ Building and repairing roads and bridges Ŷ Controlling traffic flow Ŷ Providing and maintaining car parks.

What makes up a local council? Each local council is governed by a group of people called councillors. The leader of the councillors is called the mayor. In Sydney, Parramatta, Newcastle and Wollongong the leader of the council is called the lord mayor. The council meets in the council chambers on a regular basis to discuss local issues and to make decisions on behalf of the local community. County councils are formed by individual local councils who join together. In that way, they can perform those jobs which are better done by more than one council. They have specific jobs to do, for example, flood control or water supply or weed control. Sometimes councils join a regional organisation of councils. This is a good way for local councils to get together and discuss issues which affect more than one council, for example, job creation or regional planning or air pollution. Sharing resources and expertise allows individual councils to save money. Aboriginal Land Councils are formed to represent the Aboriginal community.

electing a new

council:

These are the four main stages in electing a new council: Nominating The first stage of electing a new council is calling for nominations. The returning officer usually tells people how to go about standing for the council by putting an advertisement in the local newspapers. Campaigning In the next stage, the candidates must “sell themselves” to the community. The candidates explain to the voters what they would do if they were elected, and how the community would benefit as a result. Voting All residents must vote in their council elections if: Ŷ They are 18 years old or over Ŷ They are Australian citizens Ŷ That they have lived in the area for at least three months People who own property in the area can vote in council elections even if they live somewhere else, provided that they have told the council in advance they want to vote.

How councils are governed Each local council has between five and 15 councillors. Their role is to make decisions about the running of the community and the council. By consulting with their community, they discover the problems and ideas of local people so that they can do what best meets their needs. Councillors stand for election because they are interested in the progress or well-being of their district. They do not get paid very much for their time and service they give to the community.

Counting the votes When the polls close, the votes are counted and the results are declared when the Electoral Commissioner is satisfied that this process has been completed. The mayor is then elected either by popular vote or by a vote of councillors.

Electing your council

The mayor takes charge of council meetings and represents the council on formal occasions. Councillors decide about what council staff should do, and what should happen in their area. Members of the public can attend council meetings.

The people who live in, or own property in, a local government area can vote for who they want to be on their local council. Council elections are held every four years in NSW. The rules about how and when council elections should be held are made by the state government.

Councillors also attend committee meetings. Each committee deals with a different matter. For example, there may be a finance committee, a works committee, a town planning committee and a health committee.

Elections are run by a returning officer who is appointed by the State Electorial Commission.

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