Memorandum by the Chief Executive Officer
To Council:
This memorandum seeks Council’s consideration
of the nomination of Councillors as voting delegates to the Local Government
New South Wales (LGNSW) Annual Conference, to be held from Sunday 23 October to
Tuesday 25 October 2022 at the Crowne Plaza, Hunter Valley.
Consideration is also sought on appointing
all Councillors as voting delegates for the 2022 election to fill the casual
vacancy on the Local Government NSW Board.
The conference is the main policy-making
event for the local government sector. Delegates will vote on motions which
determine the policies and priorities for LGNSW and the sector.
The draft conference program is not yet
available. Information will be updated and will be available in the coming
months at: https://www.lgnsw.org.au/Public/Public/Events/Annual-Conferences/2022/2022-annual-confernce-tabs.aspx.
Councillors will receive email notifications
directly from Local Government NSW, but should direct questions or requests to
Secretariat, who will coordinate all arrangements with Local Government NSW on
behalf of Councillors, including conference registrations, voting registrations
and accommodation bookings.
Registration to Attend the Conference
Conference attendees are invited to register
from Monday 4 July 2022 to take advantage of early bird rates. Early bird rates
are available until Wednesday 17 August 2022. Standard registrations open
Thursday 18 August 2022 and close 5pm Monday 10 October 2022.
Voting delegates must be registered to attend
the conference, and also be registered as a voting delegate on motions.
Conference registrations will be managed by Secretariat.
Registration as a Voting Delegate
The City of Sydney is entitled to register up
to 10 voting delegates for motions. It is proposed that Council nominates the
Lord Mayor and all Councillors as voting delegates
The deadline to provide LGNSW with the names
of voting delegates is Monday 10 October 2022. Additional nominations received
after the closing date cannot be accepted. However, the names of voting
delegates may be substituted at any time, in line with Rule 34 of the LGNSW
Rules.
Voting delegates may not appoint a proxy to
attend or vote at formal business sessions on their behalf. Registrations for
voting on motions will be managed by Secretariat.
Conference Program/Motions
The conference will include discussion and
debate on a range of motions from councils relating to current and emerging
policy issues facing local government in NSW.
All members can put forward motions to be
considered at the conference, which should be strategic, affect members
state-wide, and introduce new or emerging policy issues and actions.
Members submitting motions are encouraged to
be familiar with the LGNSW Policy Platform, at: https://www.lgnsw.org.au/policy/policy-platform.
The purpose of this Policy Platform is to consolidate the numerous policies and
positions of LGNSW – as determined by members – into a single document for ease
of reference for members and stakeholders.
Members are asked to submit motions by Monday
29 August 2022 for inclusion in the conference business paper. The latest date
for submission of motions is Sunday 25 September 2022.
The full conference business paper is
expected to be available one week prior to the conference.
Councillors' Expenses and Facilities Policy
Councillors Chan, Davis, Gannon, Ellsmore,
Jarrett, Scott and Weldon were the City of Sydney delegates at the 2022 LGNSW
Special Conference held in Sydney in February/March 2022. Expenditure incurred
for the special conference totalled $10,807.71.
The Councillors' Expenses and Facilities
Policy 2017 provides for Councillors to attend the LGNSW Annual Conference at
the City’s expense. Funds are available in the draft 2022/23 operating budget
to cover registration fees, travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by
Councillors.
Travel
The conference venue, Crowne Plaza Hunter
Valley, is a two-hour drive from Sydney via the M1. Alternative methods of
travel will be detailed on the Local Government NSW website in the coming
months.
Accommodation has been pre-booked for
Councillors for the nights of 23 and 24 October at Harrigan's at the Hunter
Valley, which is a six-minute drive to the Crowne Plaza. Details of delegate
transfers from the local hotels to the conference venue will become available
on the Local Government NSW website.
LGNSW Board Election – Casual Vacancy
LGNSW has a casual vacancy on the Board for
the Office of Director (Metropolitan/Urban Council) which is required to be
filled by secret postal ballot. Arrangements have been made with the Australian
Electoral Commission (AEC) to conduct the election.
Only Councillors from Metropolitan/Urban
members are eligible to nominate as a candidate and to vote in the election.
Members are required to advise LGNSW of the names and postal addresses of their
nominated voting delegates for the election by 7 July 2022.
Registrations for voting in the election will
be managed by Secretariat.
MONICA BARONE
Chief Executive Officer
Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor), seconded by Councillor Scott –
It is resolved that:
(A) Council appoint the Lord Mayor and all
Councillors as its voting delegates at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual
Conference to be held in the Hunter Valley from 23 to 25 October 2022;
(B)
Council
note all registration fees, travel and other reasonable expenses associated
with the attendance of Councillors at the LGNSW Annual Conference will be met
by the City in accordance with the Councillors' Expenses and Facilities Policy
2017;
(C)
Council
note that a spouse, partner or other person may accompany a Councillor at the
conference, and the City will meet any associated ticket costs; and
(D)
Council
appoint the Lord Mayor and all Councillors as its voting delegates for the 2022
election to fill the casual vacancy on the Local Government NSW Board, to be
conducted via postal vote by the Australian Electoral Commission.
Carried unanimously.
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