SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 - May 2021 - LGA SA
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SAROC Annual
Business Plan
2021-22
May 2021
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 1 of 13Introduction The South Australian Region Organisation of Councils (the SAROC) is one of two regional organisations established by the Local Government Association of South Australia. SAROC is a strong, united voice for regional councils and represents their shared interests for the benefit of the South Australian community. SAROC plays a key role in regional advocacy, policy development, leadership, engagement and capacity building on behalf of regional councils and communities. The SAROC Annual Business Plan for 2021-22 outlines priority actions and outcomes that will be achieved during this period to progress the themes and objectives outlined in the SAROC Strategic Plan 2019-23. Theme 1: Economic Development The SAROC recognises the important role councils play as local place makers. With the right policy settings and partnerships, regional councils can help to create the best conditions for local businesses to grow and thrive. Objective: Enable advocacy and partnership opportunities that recognise the specific needs of the regions and support councils to drive sustainable economic development. Theme 2: Community Development The SAROC acknowledges the significant contribution regional councils make to community development through public health and community wellbeing activities, and the need for adequate levels of State Government services and funding to support healthy and resilient communities. Objective: Support strong, vibrant and cohesive regional communities through advocacy and partnerships that unlock local government’s potential to deliver quality community services and meaningful outcomes in public health and wellbeing. Theme 3: Natural and Built Environment The SAROC recognises the importance of local government’s role in the future planning and maintenance of South Australia’s natural and built environment. Objective: Influence, inform and advocate for the State Government to address policy and legislative barriers that hinder councils from undertaking their roles in maintaining and enhancing the natural and built environment in regional South Australia. Theme 4: Financial Sustainability and Governance The SAROC recognises the challenges regional councils face in attaining and maintaining financial sustainability. The SAROC acknowledges that councils proactively improve practices to achieve best practice in financial management, governance and reporting. Objective: Advocate to maximise contributions and investment from other tiers of government to contribute toward local government financial sustainability, and to assist councils to identify opportunities to support and strengthen governance arrangements. Reporting and Approval Process This Annual Business Plan links the key activities that the SAROC will undertake on an annual basis to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan. LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 2 of 13
The SAROC Annual Business Plan will be supported by a budget to cover anticipated expenses of the
proposed activities to be undertaken during the financial year.
The SAROC Annual Business Plan and budget is required to be presented to the LGA Board of
Directors for approval by June each year.
On a quarterly basis, the SAROC will assess its performance against the Strategic Plan and Annual
Business Plan and provide a report to the LGA Board of Directors and member councils.
Other Plans
As a committee of the LGA, the plans and priorities of GAROC are referenced in and aligned to the
LGA’s suite of corporate documents, including:
1. The LGA Strategic Plan and Annual Business Plan
2. The LGA Advocacy Plan
3. The Local Government Research and Development Scheme Annual Business Plan
4. Regional LGA Annual Business Plans
SAROC has also adopted a Communications Plans that outlines how it will engage with and keep
informed member councils, external stakeholders and the community.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 3 of 13SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22
Theme 1: Economic Development
Objective: Enable advocacy and partnership opportunities that recognise the specific needs of the regions and support councils to drive
sustainable economic development.
Actions Milestone Proposed Outcomes Budget / Link to
Resources SAROC role
Supporting regional economies – June 2022 SAROC will listen and represent the interest of regional LGA Secretariat Regional
advocacy and partnerships councils and advocate for policy and legislation that advocacy
Regional LGA
supports South Australia’s regions.
Advocate to State and Federal executive officers Leadership
government for funding, initiatives Key opportunities for advocacy will include assisting
$35,000 budget
and legislation that assists with the regional councils and communities to respond and recover
allocation in 2021-
growth and development of regional from the Covid-19 public health emergency, implementation
22 for optional
South Australia, including of South Australia’s forthcoming Regional Development
research and
commitments towards assisting Strategy.
workshop required,
regional councils and communities to
SAROC will continue to advocate to State and Federal as identified by
respond and recover from the Covid-
government for funding, initiatives and legislation that SAROC
19 public health emergency and the
assists with the growth and development of regional South
decentralisation of South Australia’s
Australia, including:
population.
• implementation of actions where local government
can be a partner in the forthcoming South
Australian Regional Development Strategy;
• commitments for future funding for RDAs as key
economic agencies in regions and towards;
• assisting regional councils and communities to
respond and recover from the Covid-19 public
health emergency and the decentralisation of South
Australia’s population; and
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 4 of 13• supporting LGA advocacy to restore the quantum of
Financial Assistance Grants to at least 1 per cent of
Commonwealth taxation revenue.
Supporting regional economies – June 2022 SAROC recognises that in order to be a strong partner and LGA Secretariat Regional
partnerships voice representing the regions, it will need to work in close advocacy
Regional LGA
collaboration with regional LGAs and regional councils
Facilitate a series of targeted forums executive officers Leadership
along with key stakeholders including RDAs and Federal
to bring regional councils, regional
and State Government agencies. Policy initiation
LGAs and RDAs together to share
and review
best practice, identify shared In the main, councils are funding members of RDAs that
solutions to common issues and to have undertaken significant engagement with regional
inform SAROC’s future policy councils to understand their needs. There is an opportunity
development and advocacy. to bring this work together to support greater interaction
between SAROC and RDASA in areas of state significance
to inform local government policy, council activities at the
local level and ensure that RDAs are supported in common
objectives.
SAROC forums will cover the following areas:
• regional workforce strategic planning, funding and
training delivery.
• regional housing (provision, needs and issues).
• regional city population growth including potential
regional centres for manufacturing, decentralisation of
workforce through innovation and technology and
changes to work practices (remote working).
• project design & management resources for small rural
and regional councils to facilitate implementation of
stimulus projects.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 5 of 13Theme 2: Community Development
Objective: Support strong, vibrant and cohesive regional communities through advocacy and partnerships that unlock local government’s
potential to deliver quality community services and meaningful outcomes in public health and wellbeing.
Action Milestone Proposed outcomes Budget Link to
SAROC role
Regional health workforce June In September 2019, consulted with members and considered LGA Secretariat Regional
2022 evidence provided by the Eyre Peninsula LGA in making a advocacy
Continue to advocate to the Regional LGA
submission to the State Government’s draft Rural Medical
Federal and State executive officers Leadership
Workforce Plan
Governments for the provision
$25,000 budget Policy initiation
of improved health services. In December 2019, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, the Hon.
allocation in and review
Stephen Wade MLC, released South Australia’s Rural Medical
Support for progression of a 2020-21, to be
Workforce Plan, prepared to meet the Government’s commitment to
key action from the Rural carried forward to
develop and implement ‘a plan to recruit, train and develop the
Medical Workforce Plan 2019- 2021-22.
health professionals... needed to deliver country health services’.
2024 by working with the Rural
The Plan identifies a specific strategy to collaborate with local
Support Service to investigate
government to address the unique challenges facing rural
how to maximise the personal
communities, recognising that the social and economic wellbeing of
and family supports provided to
their community is paramount to councils in their role as public
rural doctors by assisting efforts
health authorities.
in housing, transport costs and
childcare, and support for Over the next two years, the Plan commits that the Government will
partners and families, including seek to partner with councils through the LGA to maximise the
social and community supports. personal and family supports provided to rural doctors, particularly
for recruiting to challenging areas, by:
1) creating partnerships between councils, regional Local Health
Networks, the Rural Doctors Workforce Agency and other key
stakeholders to provide a holistic approach to doctor recruitment,
considering opportunities and support for partners and families, and
including social and community supports.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 6 of 132) developing and support mechanisms for regional and rural
doctors to receive support in areas including housing, transport
costs and child care.
Public health and community June In 2019, the LGA and SA Health concluded their Local Government LGA Secretariat Leadership
wellbeing 2022 Public Health Program, with the release of Regional Public Health
Regional LGA Policy initiation
Guidelines and other support materials.
Assist councils and regional executive officers and review
LGAs to build capacity and best In 2020, SAROC facilitated a forum to support regional capacity and
practice in their development, understanding of regional public health planning and provided an
review and renewal of regional opportunity for regional councils to share learnings, achievements,
public health plans and to and explore themes for future initiatives regarding regional public
assist regional councils and health planning as they review their regional public health plans
communities to respond and under the Public Health Act 2011.
recover from the Covid-19
Regional LGA executive officers have highlighted an opportunity for
public health emergency.
‘volunteering in local government’ to be a focus area that links
Assist regional councils to regional public health plans and support for areas that councils are
come together to identify involved with including local assets such ovals and institutes / town
common priorities among their halls plus, visitor information services and events.
updated Regional Public Health
It is anticipated that common priorities in Regional Public Health
plans and to advocate for State
Plans may include analysis of approaches undertaken by and
Government funding to assist
opportunities coordination of activities to attract and retain
with implementation of key
volunteers in the local government sector.
actions where necessary.
The Southern and Hills LGA and the Murraylands and Riverland
Promote and share the
LGA are currently concluding their trials of the Community Wellbeing
learnings from the Community
Alliance. While these are unlikely to identify further advocacy need
Wellbeing Alliance trials with all
for the Community Wellbeing Alliance pilot, there will be a future
regional LGAs, and further
opportunity for SAROC to promote and share the learnings from the
promote the work of the
Community Wellbeing Alliance trials with all regional LGAs, and
Community Wellbeing
further promote the work of the Community Wellbeing Indicators
Indicators research project
research project currently being commissioned by the Southern and
currently being commissioned
Hills LGA.
by the Southern and Hills LGA.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 7 of 13Theme 3: Natural and Built Environment
Objective: Influence, inform and advocate for the State Government to address policy and legislative barriers that hinder councils from
undertaking their roles in maintaining and enhancing the natural and built environment in regional South Australia.
Action Milestone Proposed outcomes Budget Link to
SAROC role
Overabundant Species – Little June 2022 The LGA and SAROC have consistently sought a State LGA Secretariat Policy initiation
Corellas Government commitment to fund implementation of a and review
Regional LGA
statewide Little Corella strategy that includes financial
Continue to advocate for State executive officers Leadership
assistance to local governments for the development of
Government commitment to fund
integrated local management plans and the implementation of Regional
implementation of a statewide Little
medium- and long-term management options at a local-scale. advocacy
Corella strategy that includes
financial assistance to local
governments for the development of
integrated local management plans
and the implementation of medium
and long-term management options
at a local scale.
Manage the SAROC ‘Little Corellas
habitat interventions’ program
(following the EOI process) and
bring councils together to consider
the outcomes and share learnings
to inform future council activities.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 8 of 13Coastal Management June 2022 In 2019 and 2020, SAROC supported the financial LGA Secretariat Regional
sustainability of SA Coastal Council Alliance, to ensure that advocacy
Support and inform LGA sector- Regional LGA
momentum generated through the early start-up phase of the
wide advocacy for increased State executive officers
Alliance is not lost, and that issues facing coastal councils
and Federal funding for councils in
continue to be strongly advocated and workable solutions
coastal management, conclusion of
implemented.
the SA jetties funding and lease
negotiations, response to the In 2021-22, SAROC will receive and consider the forthcoming
Parliamentary review of the Coast Funding the Future: A New Approach for Coastal
Protection Board, and finalisation Management in SA project, commissioned by SA Coastal
and implementation of the Councils Alliance with funding support from the Local
forthcoming SA Government Government Research and Development Scheme.
Coastal Strategy.
Water Policy June 2022 SAROC continues to facilitate local government discussion LGA Secretariat Leadership
relating to water policy including advocating for a national
Advocate for a national water policy, Regional LGA
water policy.
as informed by consultation and executive officers
engagement with South Australian
councils in 2021.
Regional waste June 2022 In 2021-22, SAROC will: LGA Secretariat Policy initiation
and review
Continue to support development of • Support the LGA’s advocacy that the State Government: Regional LGA
regional waste management o commits 50% of the monies accumulated in the executive officers Leadership
strategy and the coordination of Green Industry Fund (collected from council
Allocates $35,000
waste and recycling infrastructure contributions to the Solid Waste Levy) back to local
in the 2021-22
across regions, by: government for worthwhile waste, recycling and
SAROC Budget for
resource recovery endeavours that support the
• supporting sector wide resource
transition towards a more circular economy;
advocacy, further developing its development.
o commits to a guaranteed minimum level of
‘suite of resources’ to support
reinvestment of the Solid Waste Levy in the waste,
regional councils in waste
recycling and resource recovery sector;
management
o conducts ongoing research and development in
• facilitate a SA Regional Waste
collaboration with local government and other
Pathways Forum in 2021-22 to
stakeholders into;
bring together councils, regional
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 9 of 13LGAs and other stakeholders a) alternative waste technologies and strategies such as
together to collaborate on and organics composting for food waste;
share solutions to waste b) kerbside collection technologies/strategies to
management issues. incentivise households to maximise recycling rates
and minimise the amount of general waste going to
landfill; and
c) Green Industries SA to expand its Waste
Education/Awareness campaign to provide clear
messaging on recycling and organic waste strategies
to help the South Australian community.
o directs Green Industries SA to work more closely with
local government and businesses in the development
of sustainable long-term options and ‘on the ground
solutions’ to support the transition towards a circular
economy, including making a lot more funding
available; and
o substantially increases funding in the waste and
resource recovery infrastructure program.
• Further develop its ‘suite of resources’ to support regional
councils in waste management, including commissioning:
o Advice on governance arrangements for jointly
owned subsidiaries/infrastructure particularly in
relation to formation, structures and voting
arrangements; and
o Updated waste tender templates/advice that are
more user friendly and facilitates joint
procurement, coordination of resources/services
and reporting requirements to support information
gathering and benchmarking initiatives.
• SAROC will facilitate a further SA Regional Waste
Pathways Forum to bring together councils, regional
LGAs and other stakeholders together to collaborate on
and share solutions to waste management issues.
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 10 of 13Cat Management June 2022 SAROC continues to facilitate local government discussion LGA Secretariat Policy initiation
relating to improved cat management laws to support greater and review
Advocacy that supports and informs Regional LGA
consistency across local government jurisdictions in terms of
the forthcoming legislated review of executive officers Leadership
administration of the Act and with a view towards legislative
the Dog and Cat Management Act
reforms on registration and containment. Regional
1995.
advocacy
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 11 of 13Theme 4: Financial Sustainability and Governance
Objective: Advocate to maximise contributions and investment from other tiers of government to contribute toward local government financial
sustainability, and to assist councils to identify opportunities to support and strengthen governance arrangements.
Action Milestone Proposed outcomes Budget Link to
SAROC role
Regional local roads – mapping June 2022 Regional LGAs have developed local road plans that identify LGA Secretariat Regional
and priorities road priorities. These are used to assist in funding advocacy
Regional LGA
applications usually by individual councils but on occasions
Continue to facilitate coordination executive officers Policy initiation
jointly across council boundaries, including the Special Local
between regional LGAs to prepare a and review
Roads Program (SLRP) administered by the LGA. $15,000 budget
SAROC SA Regional Local Road
allocation in
Priorities report that will enable a Regional LGAs would like to take a state-wide approach that
2020-21, may be
cross regional approach to support identifies the linkages beyond regional boundaries and
carried forward to
funding applications to State and establishes a priority list it would allow for increased
2021-22 to be
Federal Government based on an discussions with industry and to seek funding support from
supplemented by
agreed priority list. Federal and State Governments. This would also assist the
regional LGAs.
LGA in forming recommendations to the State and federal
government on priorities to be funded from the SLRP.
A state-wide, regional mapping activity and priority report
could be used to develop funding proposals from the Heavy
Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, the Better Regions
Fund, the Regional Black Spot Fund and or a specific
infrastructure approaches to State and federal governments.
Rating equity and mandatory June 2022 SAROC will work with regional LGAs and regional councils to LGA Secretariat Regional
rebates support the LGA’s analysis and preparation of an issues advocacy
Regional LGA
paper to inform and advocate for a review of the mandatory
Support the LGA’s advocacy that executive officers Policy initiation
rate rebates that councils are compelled to provide.
the State Government remove or and review
recompense councils for state-
government mandated discounts on
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 12 of 13rates for Community housing /
Electricity providers / Religious
services / Public cemeteries /
Educational purposes.
Shared services and service June 2022 SAROC supports councils to share resources, services, and LGA Secretariat Leadership
reviews advice to save time, money and reduce risk. Regional
Regional LGA Policy initiation
councils are assisted to achieve greater financial
Facilitate a forum to bring regional executive officers and review
sustainability.
councils together to share best
practice and identify shared
solutions on financial sustainability,
with a focus on shared services,
service reviews, efficiency initiatives
and process improvements.
Borrow pits June 2022 Appropriate State legislation and guidelines are in place to LGA Secretariat Regional
support council borrow pit activities, with management advocacy
Advocate for appropriate Regional LGA
activities appropriate to the level of associated risk.
consideration of council borrow pit executive officers Policy initiation
activities within the Mining Act and and review
relevant regulations. SAROC will
also continue to pursue a
commitment from the State
Government to work with local
government on a Code of Practice
the rehabilitation of future borrow
pits
LGA of SA ECM 733479 SAROC Annual Business Plan 2021-22 Page 13 of 13You can also read
