The final Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting (Code) (Update 26) is available for preparing councils’ 2017/18 financial statements.

The NSW Government will shortly release further information to councils to help negotiate agreements with Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in relation to sharing the proceeds from the kerbside collection of eligible CDS containers.

Councils should incorporate these determinations into their 2018-19 rating structures and Operational Plan Statement of Revenue Policies.

The Office of Local Government and the Department of Industry – Crown Land will be co-hosting a webinar for council General Managers and senior staff with public land management responsibilities from 10.30am to 12.00pm on Wednesday 21 March 2018. Webinar RSVP instructions are contained in the attachment to this Circular and will also be emailed through to councils separately.

The Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, announced the winners of the eleventh annual Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government at Parliament House on 7 March 2018.

The Office of Local Government (OLG) is working in partnership with the Office of Environment and Heritage and the Department of Planning and Environment to support the commencement of the Biodiversity Offset Scheme.This will include overseeing the establishment of a network of regional biodiversity reform support officers to assist councils.

The Office of Local Government (OLG) is conducting a series of information sessions in March 2018 on impending Accounting Standards and the auditing of financial statements.There will also be an opportunity at the sessions to discuss accounting issues and provide input into OLG’s financial reporting policy and guidelines.

The purpose of this Circular is to remind councils of the opportunity to make submissions on the Councillor Induction and Professional Development Guidelines and the Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW which are currently on public exhibition.

With more than half of regional and rural NSW councils having already resolved to join a Joint Organisation (JO), results have been encouraging. A few councils have requested an extension and, to make it fair across the board, the NSW Government has decided to extend the period by which all councils must submit nominations to be part of a JO to 23 March 2018.

OLG is changing the way it engages with councils. A key step is the establishment of a Council Engagement Team. The Council Engagement Team will work closely with councils and Joint Organisations, identify, emerging issues and opportunities for OLG to address, implement programs to support improved council performance and build working relationships with State agencies.