17-39 – Consultation on the Proposed Councillor Induction and Professional Development Guidelines
Amendments made to the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) by the Local Government Amendment (Governance and Planning) Act 2016 in August 2016 saw the inclusion in the prescribed role of councillors under section 232 a responsibility “to make all reasonable efforts to acquire and maintain the skills necessary to perform the role of a councillor”.
17-40 – Consultation on the draft Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW
Amendments made to the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) in August last year by the Local Government Amendment (Governance and Planning) Act 2016 provide for a model code of meeting practice (Model Meeting Code) to be prescribed by regulation.
17-34 – GIPA Contracts Register
Councils are reminded of requirements under Division 5 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 in relation to maintaining a register of government contracts.
17-32 – 2017 Edition of the Councillor Handbook
The Office of Local Government has issued an updated edition of the Councillor Handbook. General Managers and council governance staff should ensure councillors are aware of the availability of the Councillor Handbook on the Office of Local Government’s website.
17-33 – GIPA Annual Reporting Obligations
Councils are reminded of the requirement to submit their annual report to the Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC) on the council’s obligations under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).
17-30 – Consultation on drafts of the new Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW and associated Procedures
The Office of Local Government (OLG) is consulting with councils and other stakeholders on changes to the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW (the Model Code of Conduct) and the Procedures for the Administration of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW (the Procedures).
17-22 – Oath or affirmation of office by councillors
Under the Local Government Act 1993, councillors (including mayors) are now required to take an oath or affirmation of office. The prescribed words of the oath and affirmation are contained in the attachment to this Circular.
17-19 – Stand for your community – candidate guide and candidate diversity resources
The guide for candidates, Stand for your community, and other candidate diversity resources have been updated by the Office of Local Government (the Office) to assist prospective candidates in making informed decisions about standing for election to local government in 2017. The resources also aimed at encouraging candidates from diverse backgrounds to consider standing for election.
17-17 – Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy – Better Practice Template
A better practice Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy template (the Policy template) has been developed and is being made available for use by all councils.
17-14 – Elections for councils affected by merger proposals on 9 September 2017
On 7 April 2017 the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, issued an order under section 318C(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 nominating 9 September 2017 as the date on which elections will be held for councils that are the subject of pending and discontinued merger proposals.