Local Government Structural Reform

Background

In February 2009, the Minister for Local Government announced his wide-ranging Local Government Reform Strategies. As part of this, he has encouraged each local government within Western Australia to embrace the opportunity for voluntary amalgamations to achieve much needed structural reform in this State. As part of this initiative, the Minister is also advocating each council to have an elected member group of between six and nine.

The Minister has requested that by 31 August 2009, each of the 139 local governments in Western Australia will have made an informed decision on voluntary amalgamation, their preferred regional groupings and the number of elected members required within a range of six to nine.

In response to the Shire’s Checklist submitted in April 2009 the Department of Local Government and Regional Development has advised –

“On the basis of the checklists assessment, the Shire of Goomalling was placed in Category Two: structural reform including amalgamation/boundary adjustments and formalisation of regional groupings should be considered to enhance organisational and financial capacity to meet current and future community needs.”

It is intended to undertake workshops with members of the community that will provide the opportunity for each to contribute to open discussions on structural reform proposals so that their views can be represented in the Reform Submission to be forwarded to the Minister for Local Government. Workshops have been scheduled as follows:

Local Businesses Workshop

6pm, Tuesday 21st July 2009, Goomalling Community Centre Conference Room

Ratepayers and Electors Workshop

7.30pm, Wednesday 22nd July 2009, Goomalling Sports Pavilion. Law and order will also be discussed at this workshop with the Superintendent and Inspector from Northam invited to attend along with Goomalling’s Officer in Charge, Acting Sergeant Shane Hickman.

Officers from the Department of Local Government and Mr Ron Back (Council’s CPA Consultant) will be in attendance.

Everyone is urged to attend to decide the future of local government in the district and region. A light supper will be provided following the workshops.

Clem Kerp
Chief Executive Officer
Shire of Goomalling