Mayors meet with Premier and Local Government Minister to reform councils and restore public confidence

Major reforms to South Australian councils will be introduced this year as the State Government plans to cut red tape and restore confidence in a damaged local government sector.

Major reforms to South Australian councils will be introduced this year as the State Government plans to cut red tape and restore confidence in a damaged local government sector.

Mayors from across the state were summoned to meet with Premier Steven Marshall and Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll last week as they ramped up their push to change the way councils operate.

While no specific changes have yet been touted, a document obtained by The Advertiser showed the government wants:

• LOWER costs to ratepayers and more council financial accountability.
• BETTER conduct by councils and their members.
• MORE efficiency and transparency in the sector.
• SIMPLER regulations.

According to the documents, the reforms should improve councils’ “effectiveness” and “restore confidence in their decisions”.

The government has now asked mayors to provide suggestions on potential reforms – aimed at a series of discussion papers over the next four months.

The first reform Bill would be presented mid-year, followed by public consultation from July until October.

A second Bill would then be drafted early next year.

Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll.

Local Government Association president Sam Telfer.

Mr Knoll said the government would work “hand-in-hand” with councils on the reforms.

“Our main priority is better outcomes for ratepayers – that includes keeping rates low and improving service delivery,” he said.

“There’s certainly a lot of room to drive efficiency, lower costs and cut red tape in the local government sector.

“To their credit, the sector is aware of this and (has) come to the table to help drive these reforms.”

Local Government Association president Sam Telfer believed the local government sector was “fairly positive” about the potential for reform.

“In the end, we do support local government reform and want to be a partner in it,” Mr Telfer said.

“I think it’s because, in the end, as local leaders we get the best results by working with the State Government and there’s a good opportunity to get the right initiatives in place for better representation and better results for ratepayers.

“I do think local government is at the point where we should prove not just to the State Government but the community that we’re being proactive.”

Opposition local government spokesman Tony Piccolo said the government was playing “catch up” with a Labor push for council reform that had already passed the Legislative Council.

“SA Labor has already introduced a private member’s bill into parliament – the Ratepayer Protection Bill – which will improve council performance, enhance council transparency and accountability, and eliminate the worst excesses of council rorts and wasted expenditures,” Mr Piccolo said.