Welcome to Local Government Week 2019 which is a week that is meant to give Council's an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the work and services they provide to their communities.
The theme for LG Week 2019 is 'Your Council' that Local Government NSW says "presents an opportunity to move the conversation beyond roads, rates and rubbish and highlight how closely Your Council is involved in your community. Everything from council-managed childcare centres, libraries, cemeteries, sports fields and pools, to food safety checks, museums and galleries, building and development and pet registrations – all operated by councils."
Around the State this week other Council's are holding Council stalls at markets and major shopping centres ,facilitating competitions, creating comment boxes and suggestion boxes to provide council with feedback and ideas on what the local community needs, conducting history tours, joining in local meetings and making presentations on council activities and discussing topics of interest such as sustainable living, waste recycling, traffic management, bushland regeneration or animal licenses.
Encouraged by LGNSW other Council's are also holding town meetings inviting the community meet the councillors and to find out about what their council is doing offering tours of community services and council facilities such as water treatment facilities, animal shelters, community care and local libraries..
Traditionally Local Government week has been for many Council's and opportunity to launch a new community initiative/program.
In 2017 Council hosted a swag of activities including a one-day pop up festival in Moruya called "Council Life" showcasing the breadth and diversity of the services Eurobodalla Council provides with free activities, food and entertainment as well as a range of stalls. Kids got a buzz out of making their own bee hotel, enjoyed the fun children’s play area, got up close and personal with Council machinery, and joined in the Mayor’s storytime.
In 2017 stalls included a water modelling display, surveying and grader laser demonstrations, traffic modelling, native plants for sale from the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens, strategic planning, business assistance, Council’s environmental education trailer and youth, disability and seniors services with a pop-up coffee shop where the community could meet and greet councillors, a mock public forum for high school students to address councillors on issues affecting them along with a Council careers stall with answers to all the questions about Council recruitment and career pathways.
Eurobodalla Council has not announced any such activities for the 2019 week however they will be holding their ordinary Council meeting on Tuesday July 30th at 10am if anyone might wish to attend.
On a plus however Local Government Week is also a time for celebrating recipients of Local Government awards. On Thursday 20 June, local government professionals gathered at The Westin Sydney for the Local Government Professionals Australia, NSW LG Awards Dinner, where the spotlight shone on excellence in the NSW local government sector.
Congratulations to Jeff Phillips from Eurobodalla Shire Council for his award of
Governance in Local Government Dux 2018
