1. The Pursuit of Excellence
Graham Sansom

2. “[Australia’s tradition of local democracy] is under threat when local government tries to cling to the irrelevant or inappropriate, when it underestimates the significance of its own responsibility or waits for a lead from other spheres of government. We have to do better as well.”
David Plumridge, ALGA President , 1995

4. Overview NOT a research institute: practical focus
NOT a representative body or a professional institute
Consortium: UTS (Centre for Local Government); University of Canberra (ANZSOG Institute); ANZSOG; LGMA; IPWEA
$8m federal ‘endowment’ for minimum 5-year operations
In fact, at least another 2-3 years
Inaugural Board meeting held 1 October 2009
Formal launch and Project Plan adopted December plan to be reviewed annually

5. ACELG Board Hon Margaret Reynolds (Chair) Cr Geoff Lake (ALGA)
Ms Stephanie Foster (DITRDLG)
Prof Attila Brungs, Deputy VC, UTS
Prof John H Howard, Pro VC, UC
Mr Peter Allen, ANZSOG
Ms Penny Holloway, LGMA
Mr John Truman, IPWEA

6. The Brief
Showcase innovation and best practice across local government
Encourage the adoption of innovative practices and solutions
Specific focus on financial planning and asset management
Assist local government to achieve a leading role in policy debates
Nationally coordinated approach to training and development
Local government as an employer of choice

7. Guiding principles
The Centre must be grounded in and serve the local government system: it should not be an outsider, academic organisation
The Centre should focus on adding value, filling gaps and seeding new initiatives: it should not compete with existing programs
Given limited resources, the Centre must focus on a limited number of strategic interventions
Integration of ACELG programs essential

9. Some key challenges
Financial sustainability post GFC – smaller councils in particular
Integrated asset management and financial planning
Ageing population – impacts and opportunities
Social inclusion
Closing the Gap
Climate change and environmental management
City planning and governance of metropolitan areas
Regional economic development
National productivity

10. Financial and asset management
Integrated approach to reflect issues
$1.25m over first 5 years + LGRF projects (?)
Two components:
Identify sector capacity gaps and support development of national frameworks and standards in priority areas
Develop specific capacity building resources
Outcomes:
A more consistent and better coordinated national approach to improving local government performance
National standards or guidelines adopted in key areas of planning, management and service delivery
A range of operational tools, guidelines and other capacity building resources to facilitate improved performance
Capacity building resources widely utilised and demonstrable improvement in skills

11. Program Manager appointed (Leon Patterson)
…continued
Year 1 program:
Support implementation of federal Reform Fund (inc frameworks for regional collaboration)
Establish working relationship with LGPJC and LGPMC
Consult widely to identify further priority areas for capacity building
Asset management for small communities
Tools and guidelines for long term financial planning (partly LGRF)
Identify and assemble necessary baseline data (LGRF)
Formulate national assessment framework for improved asset and financial management (partly LGRF)
Impacts of climate change on assets (LGRF/research)
Year 2:
Community of Practice and practice notes
Program Manager appointed (Leon Patterson)

12. Related programs
Close links between financial and asset management and all other programs, especially:
Research and policy foresight
Innovation and best practice
Workforce development
Your contributions (eg ‘better practice’ examples) and ideas on next steps are most welcome!

13. The pursuit of excellence
Local government MUST do more to secure its future:
Acceptance of transformational change (at the top)
Relevance, capacity, credibility
National approach
Management AND elected members
Improved understanding of key policy issues/agendas
Creation of a much greater depth of leadership talent
Concerted action to address gaps in workforce skills and management expertise
Improved strategic management and governance:
Business improvement, benchmarking, openness to scrutiny, collaborative approaches etc
Consistent and expanded efforts to tackle underlying financial problems