The Audit Office of NSW Report on Local Government to Parliament shows Willoughby is one of the top five councils in the state in terms of its financial and asset management performance. Council has achieved a consolidated operating surplus of $15.1 million.

Financial performance has exceeded all six of the Office of Local Government (OLG) financial sustainability benchmarks and has exceeded the four industry benchmarks set by the OLG for asset management.

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Council received no new Code of Conduct complaints made against Councillors during the past year and finalised three complaints that were made in the previous reporting year. There are no outstanding Code of Conduct matters in relation to any Councillor or the Chief Executive Officer. Council’s expenditure for conduct reviewers for the period was $11,825.

This outcome is in stark contrast to the large number of complaints against Councillors in the past couple of years.

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The State Government has announced that it plans to lift building construction standards. The Government has declared that builders will owe a ‘duty of care’ to homeowners. It is hoped that this would make it better for home owners to sue builders. This is a retroactive approach (trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted). Most people feel that proactive approach with a return to staged construction checks would be more appropriate,

The Government is talking about ensuring ‘transparency’ is achieved.This seems to mean that they are hoping that it will be clear who is actually responsible if something goes amiss – the architect, the draft-person, the builder, the subcontractor, the home owner?

Industry pundits are sceptical and have commented that the Government has to do far more to clean up the industry.

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After a protracted debate Willoughby Council adopted a resolution that ‘hidden’ deep within a six part resolution were the words “declaring that we are in a state of climate emergency”.

To get to this point it took:

• an initial motion that was lost
• a Council Officer’s draft motion that subsequently move as the amendment to the initial motion
• an amendment (the officer’ draft) that was lost
• a further amendment that was lost, and
• finally a foreshadowed motion that was carried.

There original motion comprised 10 sections and was supported by seven pages of supporting background information.

The adopted resolution was in six parts. half of which were re-affirmations of related activities that Council has in progress.

The main differences  between the various versions seemed to centre on whether Council would declare a state of climate emergency.

It is difficult to find a definition of what constitutes a climate emergency, According to the BBC there is no single definition of what constitutes a climate emergency.

A recurring theme in all the motions was the focus on calling on governments to respond to the climate emergency. Perhaps a more holistic call including to the community and big business as well as government, working together might provide a more productive outcome. This has been the successful model previously used in response to other ’emergencies’ such as other natural disasters and during wartime.

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The State Government is proposing to privatise the public bus services on the North Shore. In other parts of Sydney where services have been privatised there has been variable outcomes -some positive, so not so.

Time will tell if we will benefit from this change.

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You can now access Willoughby City Library from your mobile device with the new library app.

The app allows you to search the catalogue and manage your account to renew loans and reserve items. You can also scan the ISBN of any book and check to see if the library has it in its collection.

Use your phone to borrow items at the self check-outs while you’re in the library — you can even link your family’s library cards to your account.

The app is called Willoughby City Library.

The app is free and puts the library in the palm of your hand.

Full details of how to use app.

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To become a member of CWWPA, direct deposit $20* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application. Renewing members $10. *Non-refundable and subject to meeting membership criteria.

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To become a member of CWWPA, direct deposit $20* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application. Renewing members $10. *Non-refundable and subject to meeting membership criteria.

Join Willoughby City Council’s Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney and CEO Debra Just, along with the executive team,  as they take a deep dive into what makes Willoughby City unique, what Council delivers for the community and its achievements in the 2018-2019 financial year.

• Discover Willoughby City’s distinct demographic, environmental and economic attributes.
• Hear how Council has performed against its financial and operational targets.
• Learn more about major upgrades including the $9.5 million Gore Hill oval and $1.4 million spent on streetscape projects.
• Find out how improvements to local libraries and recreational facilities benefit the community.
• Discover how robots are speeding up internal processing, saving time and money.
• Take a whirlwind trip through a busy year of festivals, events, workshops and performances.
• Unpack key projects, initiatives, reviews and policies Council has worked on over the last 12 months and hear about future priorities.
• Meet your elected members and learn how they advocate on your behalf.

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To become a member of CWWPA, direct deposit $20* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application. Renewing members $10. *Non-refundable and subject to meeting membership criteria.

The Pacific Highway at Chatswood has been named as the 4th worst location for accidents in Sydney. This has deteriorated since 2016 when it was named the 5th worst location.

Yet after numerous approaches to the RMS they refuse to do anything about it.

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To become a member of CWWPA, direct deposit $20* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application. Renewing members $10. *Non-refundable and subject to meeting membership criteria.

The NSW Government has launched a new website to showcase the great work of the State’s 128 local councils.

Your Council website – www.yourcouncil.nsw.gov.au – allows ratepayers to access comprehensive statistics on the operations of their local council and the profile of their local community including:
Council expenditure in a range of areas including roads, bridges, footpaths, libraries, recreation and culture, community services, and the environment

Community facilities including the number of swimming pools, public halls, and libraries as well as the length of roads and amount of open space

Key operational information including council staffing levels and average rates and charges

Demographic information about the local population and councillors as well as economic statistics including the unemployment rate, average income, and number of businesses.
The data for each council is also benchmarked against the average for like councils so ratepayers can compare how their council is travelling.

The new website also celebrates the sheer size and scale of our councils as a whole with a Statewide snapshot of the NSW local government sector.

The one-stop-shop for local government is a valuable resource for residents, ratepayers and the general community, as well as councillors, council staff, local government peak bodies, researchers, academics and State Government agencies.

The website draws on data already collected by the Office of Local Government (OLG) from NSW councils and other agencies and presents it in an easy to understand and user friendly way. It will be updated annually as new data becomes available.

OLG will continue to work with local councils to further develop the website’s functionality. It will also help guide development of a new Performance Measurement Framework with consistent benchmarks for all NSW councils.

Your Council website fast facts on NSW councils (2017-18)

• There are 128 councils in NSW represented by 1,293 councillors
• Collectively they employ 44,936 staff
• NSW councils spend $11.379 billion providing infrastructure, facilities and services for local communities
• They maintain 165,213km of roads
• Councils control assets with a total value of $150.7 billion
• There are 460 public pools and 1,835 community halls in NSW.

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To become a member of CWWPA, direct deposit $20* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application. Renewing members $10. *Non-refundable and subject to meeting membership criteria.