25 September 2015

Circular Head, Kentish, Latrobe and Waratah-Wynyard Councils will be undergoing a review of the current resource sharing between the Councils to help in growing, enhancing and refining the current arrangements as part of the current Local Government reform process.

The Councils have engaged the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) to undertake the review.

While Circular Head and Waratah-Wynyard and Kentish and Latrobe Councils’ resource sharing arrangements are not eligible for funding under the State Government’s reform process, the Councils believe there are a number of benefits in the study.

Kentish Mayor Don Thwaites said the review was about refining the processes in place to make arrangements at the Councils more robust.

“There have certainly been many successes for the Councils in having resource sharing in place,” Mayor Thwaites said.

“This review will allow all four Councils to analyse what has worked and why as well as take a strategic approach to areas for improvement.”

Circular Head Mayor Daryl Quilliam said the study would also help all four Councils to provide evidence of the real benefits of resource sharing.

“The review will look at all four Councils’ current governance arrangements, including decision making processes, and develop a framework for decision making in the future, particularly in relation to how decisions are made for determining future areas for resource sharing,” Mayor Quilliam said.

Latrobe Mayor Peter Freshney said the review would also complement work being undertaken by the Cradle Coast Authority.

“This will guide how the four Councils can be part of larger scale and regional shared service arrangements into the future,” Mayor Freshney said.

Waratah-Wynyard Mayor Robby Walsh said the four Councils believed that resource sharing service arrangements are in the best interest of ratepayers.

“In comparison to amalgamation, resource sharing allows Councils to improve levels of service, while maintaining local representation,” Mayor Walsh said.

“In keeping with the State Government’s reform agenda, the Councils are keen to continue to grow, enhance and refine the resource sharing arrangements currently in place.”

It is proposed that each of the four participating councils contribute $10,000 plus GST each to fund the project, and given the national interest in the study of this nature, the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) has indicated it would cover additional costs.