WALGA - Policy Advice and Advocacy. This page represents a collation of WALGA’s advocacy positions and is correct as at January 2. While every effort has been made to document all advocacy positions, some may not have been captured. Guiding Principles. WALGA’s advocacy positions are determined by State Council as appropriate are typically guided by the following principles, expressed by WALGA’s “Vision for Local Government” in the. Strategic Plan 2. WALGA is committed to advancing the vision for Local Government in Western Australia where: Local Governments will be built on good governance, autonomy, local leadership, democracy, community engagement and diversity; and. Sample Proposal Letter For Cctv Installation Courses In JohannesburgThanks to Martin Williams for these community news updates (Community News Archive) 11-9-17 Barmouth News MacMillan Coffee morning Hendre Coed Isaf holiday park. JPY (Japanese Yen) - Latest News, Analysis and Forex. https://www.dailyfx.com/jpy Latest JPY market news, analysis and Japanese Yen trading forecast from leading. Local Governments will have the capacity to provide economically, socially and environmentally sustainable services and infrastructure that meets the needs of their communities. As Local Governments all over Western Australia exist for the benefit of local communities, WALGA’s advocacy positions have been developed with community benefit front of mind. Intergovernmental Relations. This section addresses issues associated with the Local Government sector’s relationship with the State and Federal Government. About FSSAI. FSSAI lays down science-based standards for articles of food and regulates their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure. Our operational structure is comprised of internal business units who undertake policy and advocacy work on behalf of the Local Government sector. State- Local Government Partnership Agreement. Position Statement. WALGA supports the establishment and signing of a Partnership Agreement between the Western Australian Government and the Local Government sector that documents a commitment to improving cooperation between the two sectors at strategic and project levels. The Partnership Agreement should also incorporate a communication and consultation protocol that guides communication and consultation between the State Government and the Local Government sector with a minimum of twelve weeks of collaboration for legislative proposals that will impact Local Government operations and eight weeks of consultation for regulatory or compliance changes that will affect Local Government. State Council Resolution. January 2. 01. 2 – 2. Supporting Documents. Metropolitan Local Government Reform Submission 2. Constitutional Recognition of Local Government. Position Statement. Western Australian Local Governments support the financial and institutional recognition of Local Government in the Australian Constitution. State Council Resolution. December 2. 00. 8 – 4. Governance and Organisational Services. Key issues associated with the Local Government Act and related Regulations, Local Government revenue including rating, regional development, regional cooperation, recruitment, employee relations, training, service delivery and Local Government Reform. Local Government Revenue. Local Government revenue is derived from four main sources: Rates; Fees and charges; Grants and contributions, and. Profit from business enterprises. Local Government rates are an appropriate taxation mechanism for Local Governments to utilise to fund their activities. Local Government rates adhere to the five principles of taxation: equity, benefit, ability to pay, efficiency, simplicity. As rating is based on property valuations, property owners will pay different amounts, meeting the principle of ‘equity’. There are benefits associated with rates in terms of Local Government services. The ability of the ratepayer to pay is taken into account through each Council’s deliberative process. Rates are not designed to change behaviour so cannot be considered inefficient. Finally, rates meet the principle of simplicity because they are understandable, hard to avoid and easy to collect. Rating Exemptions – Charitable Purposes Position Statement. WALGA’s policy position regarding charitable purposes is as follows. Amend the Local Government Act to clarify that Independent Living Units should only be exempt from rates where they qualify under the Commonwealth Aged Care Act 1. Either: amend the charitable organisations section of the Local Government Act 1. Local Governments, similar to the pensioner discount provisions, if the State Government believes charitable organisations remain exempt from payment of Local Government rates. Background. Exemptions under this section of the Act have extended beyond the original intention and now provide rating exemptions for non- charitable purposes, which increase the rate burden to other ratepayers. There may be an argument for exemptions to be granted by State or Federal legislation. Examples include exemptions granted by the Commonwealth. Aged Care Act 1. 99. Commonwealth- State Housing Agreement or Commonwealth- State Disability Agreement. State Council Resolution. December 2. 01. 5 – 1. January 2. 01. 2 – 5. Supporting Documents. Metropolitan Local Government Reform Submission 2. Rating Exemptions – Rate Equivalency Payments. Position Statement. Legislation should be amended so rate equivalency payments made by Land. Corp and other Government Trading Entities are made to the relevant Local Governments instead of the State Government. Background. A particular example is the exemption granted to Land. Corp by the Land Authority Act 1. In 1. 99. 8, the Act was amended to include provisions for Land. Corp to pay the Treasurer an amount equal to that which would have otherwise been payable in Local Government rates, based on the principle of ‘competitive neutrality’. This matter is of concern to Local Governments with significant Land. Corp holdings in their district. The shortfall in rates is effectively paid by other ratepayers, which means ratepayers have to pay increased rates because Land. Corp has a presence in the district. The current situation involving the Perth Airport demonstrates that such a system is appropriate and can work in practice. In this case, the Commonwealth Government requires the lessee to make a rate equivalency payment to the relevant Local Government and not the Commonwealth. There is no reason why a similar system cannot be adopted for State Government Trading Entities. State Council Resolution January 2. Supporting Documents Metropolitan Local Government Reform Submission 2. Rating Restrictions – State Agreement Acts. Position Statement Resource projects covered by State Agreement Acts should be liable for Local Government rates. Background Before the 1. State Government conditions of consent for major resources projects in WA included the requirement for purpose- built towns in close proximity to project sites. These conditions were detailed in State Agreement Acts, which are essentially contracts between the State Government and proponents of major resources projects that are ratified by the State Parliament. The requirement to provide community services and infrastructure meant State Agreement Acts typically included a Local Government rating restriction clause. Many of these towns have since been ‘normalised’ due to Local Governments, the State Government and utility providers assuming responsibility for services and infrastructure. In 2. 01. 1, the State Government introduced a new policy on ‘the application of Gross Rental Valuation to mining, petroleum and resource interests’ (the GRV mining policy). The policy would apply for a 3 year trial period from July 1, 2. The trial period was recently extended until 3. September, pending the outcomes of a review of the policy. The primary objectives of the policy were to clarify the circumstances where Local Governments could apply GRV rating to mining land and enable the use of GRV rating on new (i. June 2. 01. 2) mining, petroleum and resource interests. This included the application of GRV rating to new State Agreement Acts. However, existing State Agreement Acts continue to restrict Local Government rating. Local Governments can only rate projects covered by existing Agreements in the unlikely event of ‘both parties agree[ing] to adopt the policy ’. Alternatively, the State Government has also stated that ‘projects that operate under existing State Agreements and currently exempt from rates may apply the policy as part of their respective Agreement Variation processes with the Department of State Development during the trial period’. Again, this statement suggests it is unlikely that the rating exemptions will be removed for existing State Agreements since variations are infrequent and there is no real requirement to remove the exemptions. Rating exemptions on State Agreement Acts mean that Local Governments are denied an efficient source of revenue.
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