16-21 – 2016/17 Calendar of Compliance and Reporting Requirements
The Calendar includes key statutory and other reporting deadlines for general purpose councils. For new councils, some dates may have changed by Proclamation. The following items have been added to the Calendar since last year: − Local Government Elections (unless delayed). An on-line Calendar of Compliance and Reporting is currently being developed. Councils will be advised when the facility becomes available.
16-16 – Final Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting (update 24)
The final Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting (Code) (update 24) is now available for use by councils in preparation of their 2015/16 financial statements.
16-07 – Special Schedule 8 Permissible Income Workpapers 2016-17
The structure of the Financial Statements has been updated for 2015-16 and as a result Special Schedule 9 has become Special Schedule 8 to fit in numerically with the Financial Statements.On 4 December 2015, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) announced the 2016-17 rate-peg limit of 1.8%.
16-02 – Special Variation and Minimum Rate Variation Guidelines and Process for 2016/17
To advise councils of the release of the guidelines for Special Variation and Minimum Rate Variation for the 2016/17 rating year. A council that is affected by a merger proposal will not be eligible to apply for a special or minimum rate variation for the 2016/17 rating year. The Guidelines outline the process for all other councils seeking to apply for a special or minimum rate variation for 2016/17.
15-40 – Recovery of outstanding Water Charges
What’s new or changing The NSW Ombudsman has advised that some councils are restricting or severing residential tenants’ water supply to pursue outstanding water charges owed by landowners, whether in accordance with or contrary to the council’s existing debt recovery...
15-34 – Annual Code of Conduct Complaints Reporting
Under the Model Code of Conduct Procedures, each council’s complaints coordinator must report annually on a range of complaint statistics to their council and to the Office of Local Government within 3 months of the end of September. The Model Code of Conduct Complaints 2015 collection form has been updated in response to feedback from the sector and to align reporting with the Your Council (previously Comparatives) publication.
15-29 – Auditing of the Report on Infrastructure Assets (Special Schedule 7)
The 2013/14 Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting (Update 22) advised that the Report on Infrastructure Assets (Special Schedule 7) would be audited from 2015 onwards. In recognition of work councils are currently undertaking associated with the Fit for the Future reform process, this audit will now be phased in over three stages.
15-26 – End of Year Financial Reporting 2014/15
End of year financial reporting information has been updated for 2014/15. The Financial Data Return (FDR) 2014/15 has also been updated to reflect the changes within the Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting (Update No. 23).
15-20 – Your Council – Profile & Performance of the NSW Local Government Sector 2013/14
Your Council – Profile & Performance of the NSW Local Government Sector 2013/14 report and supporting data has been released. The report provides councils and their community with information on key measures of local government performance.
15-21 – Filing fees payable by councils for Court and Tribunal matters
The NSW Department of Justice has received advice from the Crown Solicitor that, pursuant to the provisions of the Civil Procedure Regulation 2012, the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Local Government Act 1993, councils must pay the corporate fee when filing a matter in a court or tribunal. Courts and tribunals have been instructed to charge councils the corporate fee, as opposed to the standard fee, from 1 July 2015. This fee will not be back-dated.