LGEMA DLGSC Local Government Reform Submission

Posted on February 26, 2022 by lgema_archive

LGEMA have completed their submission in support of Local Government Elected Members in response to the current DLGSC Local Government Reform – Summary of Proposed Reforms (the Proposals), with our evidence based submissions directed to improving the effectiveness of and correcting the current flaws in the LG Act framework and local government structures so as to achieve good governance, transparency and accountability to better inform the state government response , and to improve the safety of the local government workplace for Elected Members and remove the current obstacles to better local government of locality outcomes.

You can download a copy of the submission here LGEMA-Submission-DLGSC-Law Reform-FINAL (1MB pdf)

Local Government Act: Law Reform or Decline?

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22 January 2022: LGEMA will hold a workshop on LG Minister’s proposed amendments the Local Government Act, details and venue TBA.

The Constitution Act 1889 (WA) Part 111B s.52(1) gives all local government powers including but not limited to executive, legislative and administrative to the local governing body. The elected governing body is a group of elected persons that have the authority to govern the locality. Constitutionally, local government powers cannot be given to other than to or through the elected governing body. Governance encompasses the system by which an organisation is controlled and operates, and the mechanisms by which it, and its people, are held to account. Ethics, risk management, compliance and administration are governance elements.

Parliament implements these constitutional obligations by enacting a Local Government Act, which creates a local government, a Council and an administration none of which are required by the Constitution. Elected Members, who ARE the only local government constitutional requirements have no support or protection by the current Local Government Act, and no improvement in this parlous state of affairs is observed from the current reform proposals.
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Cr Email is a Local Government Resource

Posted on December 16, 2021 by lgema_archive

Councillors need to be wary of using their Local Government generated Councillor and group Councillor email address noting some Local Governments blind copy employees into all Councillor emails.

Elected Member Local Government email address can be “resource” for Conduct Regulations in two senses: