I have also been thinking about how we can take advantage of this LG Reform Fund.
Is there any indication of who will administer it and who will approve projects and how projects should be presented?
In the debate surrounding the National Asset Management Framework and its subset in NSW - Integrated Planning and Reporting which includes Asset Management Planning & Reporting (as a key component), I have already recommended (at State level) that a few good, representative Councils should be chosen and they should attract significant funding to pioneer Good Asset Management Practice ('GAMP') in Local Governement - this would include (as you suggest) building appropriate templates and systems and checking out their applicability and functionality - completely documenting the procedures, practies and policies involved. A few leading lights with the where-for-all and the initiative to move forward at an appropriate pace (fast-track) and bring the rest along with them.
I saw the need for several participants across various Council sizes (e.g. large, medium, small) as requirements and capabilities differ significantly based on size and revenue base.
I saw Wingecarribee being an example of a medium sized Council (350 staff, 40,000 residents) and certainly with the entrepreneurial spirit to take a project like this forward with gusto. However I also saw the need for this to be a competitive process where the best team/Councils get the guernseys, once they have agreed to basic T&C including sharing/publishing the findings.
I am happy to start this initiative again. I am happy to work with others (of similar size). I am happy to be involved but would need a good reason (financial and technical) to take this initiative to the executive team here at WSC.
I am open to suggestions.
