Councillors will be faced with some difficult decisions in the next few weeks as Wellington Council looks to make itself Future Fit following the NSW government's moves to encourage local government to get its collective act together.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wellington's councillors meet tomorrow night to discuss the future.
"The workshop will be looking at the state government's Fit for the Future blue print for Local Government in NSW. Principally, councillors will be discussing a proposal to form a pilot joint organisation along with other OROC councils," Wellington mayor Rod Buhr said.
The Joint Organization (JO) will be a new group formed out of Orana group councils.
"The new Joint Organisation, or JO as they are named, would carry out functions such as regional planning, advocacy, and purchasing activities as well as exploring the sharing of services amongst member councils," Cr Buhr said.
"Part of the state government's aim in being Fit for the Future is to see councils operating more efficiently and putting downward pressure on rates and charges.
"Wellington Council is well down the track towards operations more efficiently with our Business Sustainability action plan already producing cost savings."
Meanwhile, local councils across Australia will this week receive advice of their allocation under the Australian Government's Roads to Recovery program.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss confirmed he will be writing to all councils to advise each local government authority of its share of the Australian Government's $2.1 billion injection into Roads to Recovery over the 2014 15 to 2018-19 period.
"This year, the Australian government is allocating $350 million to councils under Roads to Recovery," Mr Truss said.
