Resources and Links
See below for reform-related information including submissions from LGNSW, background papers, presentations and community engagement examples.
LGNSW Submissions
LGNSW papers to the MAG for discussion
- Transition Period Following Proclamation - February 2016 (PDF, 142KB)
- Support for Small Rural & Regional Councils - August 2015 (PDF, 77KB)
- Councils presenting additional information to IPART - August 2015 (PDF, 144KB)
- Timeframe and methodology of proposed Expert Advisory Panel - April 2015 (PDF, 171KB)
- Status of Rural Councils - April 2015 (PDF, 197KB)
- Criteria and Benchmarks - Guidance for the Panel - April 2015 (PDF, 179KB)
- Attachment to the above paper on Criteria and Benchmarks - April 2015 (PDF, 297KB)
- Independent Review of Fit for the Future Assessment Criteria (Supplementary Comrie Review) - February 2015 (PDF, 331KB)
- Independent Expert Assessment Panel - February 2015 (PDF, 475KB)
- Local Water Utilities - February 2015 (PDF, 194KB)
Submissions to IPART
- LGNSW Submission to IPART Review of Reporting and Compliance Burdens on Local Government - 14 August 2015 (PDF, 680KB)
- IPART Methodology for Assessment of Council Fit for the Future Proposals - May 2015 (PDF, 490KB)
Other submissions
- LGNSW Submission to Office of Local Government on Joint Organisations: Getting the boundaries right (PDF, 1.3MB)
- LGNSW Submission to the Office of Local Government on Joint Organisations: Towards a new model for regional collaboration - July 2016 (PDF, 274KB)
- LGNSW Submission to the Office of Local Government on Joint Organisations: Emerging Directions - October 2015 (PDF, 323KB)
- LGNSW President's Opening Statement to Legislative Council Inquiry into Local Government in NSW - 27 July 2015
- Submission to General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 - Inquiry into Local Government in NSW - July 2015
- Independent Review of TCorp’s Report ‘Financial Sustainability of the NSW Local Government Sector’ - October 2014 (PDF, 716KB)
Background Papers
- Local Government Reform - FAQs (PDF, 244KB)
- LGNSW Information Sheet - Boundaries Commission Process - July 2015 (PDF, 493KB)
- Practical Tips for FFTF Submissions - June 2015 (PDF, 185KB)
- Joint Organisations Pilot: First Interim Report (OLG) - December 2014
- Revitalising Local Government (ILGRP) - October 2013
- Options to Enhance Regional Collaboration amongst Councils in NSW: The Role of Regional Organisations (Gooding-Davies) - November 2012
Workshop Papers and Presentations
'Responding to Merger Proposals: Councils and Communities' - January/February 2016
'Joint Organisations: Emerging Directions for Regional Collaboration' - September 2015
- Alex Gooding - Associate, ACELG - Key Issues in Regional Collaboration (PDF, 71KB).
- Lesley Scarlett - Executive Officer, Illawarra JO - Illawarra (PDF, 994KB).
- Cr Bill West - Chair, Central West & Jenny Bennett - Executive Officer, Central West JO - Central West (PDF, 1489KB).
- Roger Stephan - Executive Officer, Hunter JO - Hunter (PDF, 199KB).
- Cr Col Murray - Chair, Namoi JO - Namoi (PDF, 449KB).
- Cr Paul Braybrooks - Chair, Riverina East JO - Riverina East (PDF, 215KB).
- Alison Morgan - Senior Regional Coordinator Western NSW, NSW Government Premier & Cabinet - Joint Organisations: A Sate Government Perspective (PDF, 225KB).
- Chris Presland - Acting Director, Innovation & Development Fit for the Future, Office of Local Government - Joint Organisations: Emerging Directions (PDF, 961KB).
- Gabrielle Cusack, Chief Executive Officer, Canberra Region - Canberra Region Joint Organisation (PDF, 196KB).
'Regional Collaboration & Shared Services: What Works?' - April 2015
- Regional Collaboration and Shared Services - LGNSW Background Paper (PDF, 477KB)
- Regional Collaboration and Shared Services - Exploring the Key Issues (Graham Sansom) (PPT, 3.7MB)
- JOs - A New Way of Working Together (OLG) (PPT, 5.2MB)
- Shared Services - An Alternative or Not (Donna Galvin) (PPT, 3.5MB)
- Metro Strategy - Can sub-regional organisations do what's needed (Alex Gooding) (PPT, 340KB)
'To Merge or Not to Merge?' - February 2015
- To Merge or not to Merge - LGNSW Background Paper (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Amalgamations Roundtable – To Merge or not to Merge Program (PDF, 368KB)
- Amalgamation - What Does the Research Tell Us, Dr Tim Robinson (PDF, 765KB)
- Amalgamations Process - Lessons from Recent Experience Interstate (PDF, 636KB)
- Amalgamation - The Greater Hume Experience, Cr Denise Osborne and Steven Pinnuck (PDF, 829KB)
- Amalgamation process - Lessons from South Australia, Jeff Tate (PDF, 375KB)
- Amalgamation - The Tamworth Experience, Glenn Inglis (PDF, 405KB)
- Lessons from the Private Sector, Rob Kelly (PDF, 1.8MB)
- From ILGRP to FFTF - What did the Panel Recommend and Why, Graham Sansom (PDF, 1.7MB)
Community Engagement
Academic Papers
- Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG, 2011) Consolidation in Local Government: A Fresh Look (PDF, 1.2MB)
- Dollery BE and Kortt M (2013) Bigger Is Not Always Better: An Evaluation of “Future Prosperity of the Hawkes Bay Region” and “Potential Costs and Savings of Local Government Reform in Hawkes Bay”, report for Napier City Council (PDF, 1.3MB)
- Dollery B, Grant B and Korrt M (2012) Councils in Cooperation: Shared Services and Australian Local Government, The Federation Press, Sydney
- Independent Inquiry into the Financial Sustainability of NSW Local Government (2006) Are Councils Sustainable? Final Report: Findings and Recommendations (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Tiley, Ian (2012) Divided We Fall: An Insider’s Perspective on Local Government Amalgamations, XLibris Corporation
- Somerville, D and Gibbs, M (2012) Legal and Governance Models for Shared Services in Local Government, Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (PDF, 1.5MB)