What’s new or changing The NSW Building Professionals Board has received complaints that some councils are imposing fees and charges for the lodgement of Part 4A certificates and complying development certificates in excess of the $36.00 statutory limit. Councils are...

The Companion Animals Amendment (Registration Fees) Regulation 2015 commenced on 29 October 2015. For dogs and cats sold by eligible pounds or shelters that are desexed at the time of registration, the fee payable is 50% of the fee for a desexed animal referred to in clause 17(1)(a) of the Companion Animals Regulation 2008. This discount also applies to animals transferred from eligible pounds or shelters to a rescue organisation for rehoming. An eligible pound or shelter includes a NSW council pound, the Animal Welfare League NSW, the Cat Protection Society of NSW Inc. and the RSPCA NSW.

The NSW Government has released the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) Assessment of Council Fit for the Future Proposals report. There will be a final 30-day consultation opportunity to inform the Government’s position on local government reform and respond to the IPART findings. A Stronger Communities Fund has been announced for merging councils.

The deadline for completion of the inventory survey, which was distributed to councils via Regional Emergency Management Officers in late August 2015, has been extended to 30 October 2015.

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.

The Minister for Local Government, the Hon Paul Toole MP, has commissioned an independent review of backyard swimming pool barrier requirements. The Review is being undertaken by Mr Michael Lambert. The review aims to simplify the regulatory framework and encourage greater barrier compliance in order to help reduce child drowning deaths and near drowning injuries.

Applications for year two of the Responsible Pet Ownership Grants Program have now been assessed and 28 projects with a total project value of $294,032 will receive funding. Commencing in 2014/15, the NSW Government committed $900,000 over 3 years to the Responsible Pet Ownership Grants Program. The 2016/2017 grants process will commence in the second quarter of 2016.

Councils are reminded of responsibilities under the Companion Animals Act 1998 (the Act) to help protect their community against the risk of attacks by aggressive dogs. Councils are also encouraged to conduct and maintain records of regular inspections of prescribed enclosures for categorised dogs.

The Australian Accounting Standards Board has issued an amending standard (AASB 2015-7) changing the levels of disclosure councils need to make in relation to the fair value for particular assets.

On 10 July 2015 representatives from the five pilot Joint Organisations (JOs), and other key stakeholders, participated in a workshop to mark the midpoint in the JO pilot process. The workshop was an opportunity to reflect on the successes, challenges and learning from the pilot to date and to input into the policy framework for the enablement of JOs.