With the deadline for Performance Improvement Orders set by the Minister for Local Government looming at the end of June, Kiama Council has issued its draft Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) 2.

"Our State of the Organisation led to the SIP 1. Now we have the Performance Improvement Orders that are guiding SIP 2," says Mayor Neil Reilly [Strategic Improvement Plan has full support].

"It is really important that the OLG (Office of Local Government) regard us as the manager of this. The SIP is something we have developed ourselves, as the mechanism for how we will overcome our difficulties."

The draft (available in the March Council Business Papers) will be the subject of a councillor workshop before the strategic approach is finalised at the April Meeting.

The Mayor is keen to point out that it will be a living document, monitored and adjusted regularly.

CEO Jane Stroud and Mayor Neil Reilly at Council's Spring Creek holding, which is on the divestment list

Council's CEO, Jane Stroud, says SIP 2 is "heavily finance and asset focused, and continues on the journey we started."

The Business Papers also reveal the lifeline that the sale of Akuna Street has provided to Council.

As late as December last year, when the sale had still not been settled, the NSW Audit Office asked Council to consider a Letter support to assist its going concern status.

The only other time this has happened, with Central Coast Council, Treasury was asked to guarantee a financial bailout.

"Prior to the Akuna settlement, the books were critical," says Ms Stroud.

The Audit Office has since informed Council that a qualification pertaining to going concern will not be required.

"The improvement of Council financially and administratively, plus the improvements that are planned, have given the Audit Office a good reason not to question our status as a going concern," says Ms Stroud.

Qualifications regarding records and internal systems will remain on the accounts.

In other welcome news, the long overdue audited accounts for 2020/1 look set to be finalised and presented to the April Meeting of Council.

That will give a starting balance for the accounts for the 2021/2 year, which unusually are to be audited by the Audit Office itself.