Regulation Review - IPART - NSW Government
Regulation Review - IPART - NSW Government
Regulation Review - IPART - NSW Government
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2 Local government compliance and enforcement<br />
functions<br />
2.5.2 Types of coordination and cooperation between councils<br />
There are over 600 collaborative arrangements between councils in <strong>NSW</strong>, across a<br />
variety of areas. 39 These include:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
County Councils – there are 14 County Councils formally established under<br />
the Local <strong>Government</strong> Act to provide joint services for member councils (7 for<br />
water supply, 6 for weeds eradication, and 1 for floodplain management) .40<br />
Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs) – most councils in <strong>NSW</strong> are<br />
members of one or more of the 18 ROCs that cover most of the state. 41 ROCs<br />
can be forums for regional advocacy, research, planning, and sharing<br />
resources and knowledge between constituent councils.<br />
Other collaborative arrangements aimed at sharing information, expertise and<br />
resources and/or achieving a common goal – such as:<br />
– Sister City agreements – eg, the Liverpool Plains Shire Council/Blacktown<br />
City Council Sister City Agreement involves staff exchanges covering areas<br />
such as noxious weed control, planning and ranger services. 42<br />
– Advisory committees, alliances and regional schemes – eg, the Illawarra<br />
Urban Development Committee, the Mid Lachlan Alliance of Councils, the<br />
South Western Regional Waste Management Group.<br />
– ROC-based collaborations – eg, Riverina Eastern ROC’s initiative ‘Start<br />
your Business here’. This is an on-line, self-guided computer program. It<br />
allows start-up businesses to determine what regulations and planning<br />
controls they must comply with in each of the Local <strong>Government</strong> Areas<br />
that comprise the Riverina Eastern ROC region. 43<br />
– Creation of joint entities of councils dedicated to providing functions on<br />
behalf of the councils – eg, Hunter Councils Inc, which represents<br />
12 councils in the Hunter Valley and is a shared services and regional<br />
procurement entity. It has a dedicated local government training institute,<br />
a regional data centre, an environmental division, and legal services. 44<br />
– Agreements for sharing specific resources, services or approaches – eg,<br />
Coffs-Bellingen Trade Waste Inspection Services, Griffith Region Food<br />
Safety Inspection Agreement.<br />
– Agreements relating to specific projects and other collaborations – eg,<br />
Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils’ Ecological Footprint<br />
Project. 45<br />
39 <strong>NSW</strong> Independent Local <strong>Government</strong> <strong>Review</strong> Panel, Strengthening your Community –<br />
Consultation Paper, July 2012, p 11.<br />
40 Ibid.<br />
41 Ibid.<br />
42 <strong>NSW</strong> Department of Local <strong>Government</strong>, Collaborative Arrangements between Councils – Survey<br />
Report, June 2011, p 41.<br />
43 See: http://startyourbusinesshere.com.au/, accessed 11 September 2012.<br />
44 See: http://www.huntercouncils.com.au/, accessed 17 August 2012.<br />
45 <strong>NSW</strong> Department of Local <strong>Government</strong>, Collaborative Arrangements between Councils – Survey<br />
Report, June 2011, pp 75-214.<br />
28 <strong>IPART</strong> <strong>Regulation</strong> <strong>Review</strong>