In a significant move to enhance the stability and effectiveness of local councils, the peak body for local government in NSW and the State Government have formalised a new cooperative agreement. This collaboration is set to bolster councils across New South Wales, fostering greater stability and improved outcomes for their communities.

On Thursday 8 August, Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Clr Darriea Turley AM, NSW Premier Chris Minns, and NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig officially signed the 2024-2027 Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). This agreement outlines the principles of a strengthened partnership between local and state governments, aiming to advance social, economic, environmental, and civic outcomes for communities statewide.

The IGA clarifies the roles and responsibilities of both levels of government, underscoring their commitment to work together and advocate jointly to the Federal Government on critical community issues. A key focus of the agreement is enhancing the financial sustainability of councils, promoting democratic local governance, and fostering ongoing collaboration.

Key highlights of the new IGA include measures to minimize the impact of cost-shifting on councils and a comprehensive review of the rate peg, conducted in close consultation with LGNSW and local councils.

Additionally, the NSW Government has committed to halting any council mergers or boundary changes not requested by the councils themselves during the term of the agreement. They also pledged to return councils currently under administration to democratically elected representatives as swiftly as possible.

This new IGA builds on the previous agreement that LGNSW had with the former government, which spanned from 2019 to 2023. Clr Turley highlighted the significance of this ongoing partnership.

In a significant move to enhance the stability and effectiveness of local councils, the peak body for local government in NSW and the State Government have formalised a new cooperative agreement. This collaboration is set to bolster councils across New South Wales, fostering greater stability and improved outcomes for their communities.

“I firmly believe genuine and sustained progress can only be achieved when all levels of government work together,” Clr Turley stated.

“A formalised agreement between councils and the NSW State Government reaffirms the equal partnership needed to deliver excellent outcomes for our communities."

She continued, "LGNSW has worked hard, as has the NSW Government, to build a strong relationship so we can deliver these outcomes. This new agreement is the culmination of those efforts and formalises and affirms both levels of governments’ commitment to collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation."

Cr Turley also praised the NSW Government for recognizing the vital role councils play in delivering essential services and support to local communities. "I commend the NSW Government for their appreciation of the important role councils play in delivering services and support for local communities, and I thank Premier Chris Minns and Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig for their commitment,” she added.

Reflecting on the achievements over the past year, Cr Turley pointed out several key successes resulting from the collaborative efforts between LGNSW and local councils, including:

• $252 million allocated for apprentices and trainees in local government to address future workforce needs.
• Recognition of the impact of cost-shifting, with the NSW Government initiating a parliamentary inquiry into councils' ability to fund infrastructure and services.
• Introduction of a new rate peg methodology that fully recovers the cost of any increase in the Emergency Services Levy (ESL), along with a review of the ESL considering its removal from council budgets entirely.
• A commitment to resolving longstanding challenges with the Planning Portal in partnership with councils.
• New Tripartite Agreements between councils, Transport for NSW, and the NSW Reconstruction Authority to expedite disaster recovery funding for road and transport infrastructure repairs.
• The restoration of local democracy in Balranald, Central Coast, and Wingecarribee Councils, and the establishment of a framework for its return in Central Darling.
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Looking ahead, Clr Turley expressed optimism about the future, stating, “I anticipate even greater outcomes in the near future following this new agreement.”