Report: Sustainable Victorian Councils
New ACELG research outlines the financial and operational sustainability of rural councils in Victoria in the report Rural Councils Sustainability Project Stage One Final Report: February 2015.
Developed as a partnership between ACELG and Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) the report will be a valuable resource for councils in regional areas facing similar issues and with a need to build strategic capacity.
With the project, Rural councils in Victoria have taken the initiative in working together to develop new ideas and approaches to secure their financial and operational futures, and the economic and social futures of their communities.
The report builds upon an ACELG-RCV project discussion paper and workshops with RCV 38 constituent councils, and outlines key issues necessary for future council sustainability, including:
- building the capacity of councils to undertake service reviews
- establishing a set of tailored guiding principles for council service reviews
- reporting on efficiency and effective provision of services
- understanding the community and engaging around service levels
- the development of improvement frameworks, processes, method and tools
- fostering an organisational culture of improvement.
For the second stage of its Rural Council Sustainability Project, RCV will focus upon: further data collection and analysis across all Victorian rural councils; service delivery improvement through a program of service reviews; exploration of possible efficiencies from collaboration and shared services; and how to improve asset and financial management.
ACELG welcomed the opportunity to work with RCV and share its ideas and practical resources aimed at supporting Australian local government.
Contact: Melissa Gibbs, ACELG Deputy Director, [email protected].
Download
- Report: Rural Councils Sustainability Project Stage One Final Report: February 2015
- Summary ACELG-RCV project discussion paper
- RCV media release.
Further links
ACELG resources for rural-remote and Indigenous local governments:
- Integrated Long-Term Planning: An Information and Resource Manual for Rural-Remote and Indigenous Councils
- Online Community Engagement Toolkit for Rural, Remote and Indigenous councils
- Attraction and Retention of CEOs and Senior Staff in Rural-Remote and Indigenous Local Governments
- Service Delivery Review: A How To Manual for Local Government.
Leading photograph courtesy Rural Councils Victoria.
