Question On Notice No. 535 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 22 June 2022 by Dr D.J. Honey
Question Directed to the: Minister for Local Government
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
(1) What robust performance monitoring measures has the department introduced since April 2021?
(2) When were those measures introduced?
(3) How were these measures communicated to staff, local governments and other key stakeholders?
Answered on 9 August 2022
(1)-(2)
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) has clearly defined its local government regulation and support objectives, deliverables and targets in the Local Government Portfolio Plan on a Page (Local Government Plan) that was developed in consultation with sector stakeholders and launched to the sector in November 2021. The Plan is publicly available on the DLGSC website at:
https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/department/publications/publication/local-government-portfolio
The Local Government Plan sets the direction of the department in the short, medium and long term. It outlines three strategic priorities, which are supported by 22 actions.
The 22 actions range across policy areas, and some actions will sequentially follow others. For instance, future changes to the reporting framework established through the MyCouncil website will not occur until work to improve financial reporting under the State Government’s local government reform package is completed and operational.
It is important that DLGSC is able to prioritise activities according to the specific context of risks and emergent issues within the local government sector. However, certain functions administered or supported by DLGSC - such as the Local Government Standards Panel – may have discrete objective, targets, or metrics which are reported in annual reports.
While DLGSC has been focusing its current and short-term regulation and support functions, the McGowan Government’s proposed package of local government reforms will significantly transform the system of local government support and oversight in Western Australia.
(3)
The DLGSC communicates with local governments regularly with 39 LG Alerts (email notification for local governments in respect to specific subject matters) distributed since April 2021. Five editions of the Local Matters newsletter and twelve news articles relevant to performance monitoring of local governments have been published on the DLGSC website within the same timeframe.