Councils manage significant finances on behalf of their communities and play a pivotal role in making sure public money is directed to the assets and services most at need.

 

The people of NSW rightly expect their elected officials to have effective oversight and be in control of the financial performance of their council. To do this a robust performance monitoring framework needs to be in place to ensure transparency, build trust and minimise risk.

 

In mid-2025 the Quarterly Budget Review Statement Guidelines for Local Government (the Guidelines) were revised to ensure council staff report clearly and consistently to their councillors and communities. The Guidelines outline the purpose and value of effective financial reporting, highlight roles and responsibilities, and establish standardised Quarterly Budget Review Statement (QBRS) reporting templates.

 

Consultation with councils on the draft Guidelines was undertaken between March and April 2025. A summary of feedback received is linked below.

 

Guidelines

 

An electronic template will be provided to all councils to report their QBRS to OLG.