Footpath Gardens in Sydney Sydney City Council is encouraging its residents to plant footpath gardens. The Council has a footpath gardening policy that makes it easy and simple for residents and businesses to start a garden...
Is local government financially prudent? The New Zealand Government contends that local government lacks financial prudence. A study by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) crystallized the Government’s argument in the following key points:...
We know Local Government staff help make the community tick… My current Acting CEO assignment at the Shire of Pingelly has reminded me yet again of the importance of local governments in rural and regional...
Back to the grindstone? Ok, you prepared well, you schmoozed like a natural – what next? If you’re anything like 90% of conference attendees*, you fully intended to re-read the notes you took during the...
Less choice, greater challenge Amalgamation is challenging enough when it is initiated by Local Government. When it is not necessarily by choice, Local Governments face a double whammy. Research suggests that readiness for change, where employees...
You don’t have to be an extrovert If you’ve read last week’s news and views post, you’ll remember that informal networking is a hugely important part of attending any conference. The extroverts amongst us make it look...
What is a conference? Time out from the grindstone? Professional development? A chance to meet up with peers? Hopefully the LGMA State Conference 2013 will be all of those things. But let’s not leave it...
Knowing what citizens want is not enough Citizens are often asked questions about their vision and priorities. They are asked about what services are important to them and how satisfied they are with current performance....
Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) – aligning your strategic planning and electoral cycles In our view, aligning local government elections with strategic planning is one of the great benefits of IPR. Citizens can engage in...
Citizens Committees can enhance decision-making We are great believers in Citizens’ Committees although we would seldom use that specific term. ACELG has just released a highly useful report on this subject, The Role and Future...