The WA Local Government Association’s SSS Taskforce team has been established as a recommendation of the independent Systemic Sustainability Study (SSS), to address the findings of the study and assist the sector in progressing its recommendations.

Association President and Taskforce Chair, Cr Bill Mitchell said a previous study conducted by the State Government’s Local Government Advisory Board (LGAB) focused upon implementing amalgamations, boundary reform and traditional resource sharing.

“The Association has always maintained that with a sector as diverse as Local Government, a single solution can never exist for the entire sector and as such we would never support forced amalgamations on Councils. That approach belongs to the last century.”

“There are many examples, particularly in South Australia, that demonstrate that future sustainability depends on changing the Government paradigm in which Councils operate and developing new ways of working.

“Our industry Taskforce aims to offer, for the first time, practical strategies and actions suited to the particular challenges faced by individual Local Governments in order to ensure sustainability across the sector.”

Cr Mitchell said that the Taskforce had appointed expert teams and consultants that would address the five major areas of reform, but stressed they would also focus on gathering information from the sector on the innovative work already implemented by many Councils.

“Councils have done an amazing job. They have been innovative and creative in surviving to date and communities should turn the focus of their concerns against the State, which has let both them and their Councils down repeatedly,” Cr Mitchell said.

“The Taskforce is determined to put practical, workable solutions on the table to ensure effective, successful reform of Local Government and in this we seem to stand alone.”

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