Many could be forgiven for thinking that voting in the election of the 'third tier of government' was simply a matter of duty to avoid a $55 fine while others are firm believers in the three Rs: roads, rates and rubbish.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The reality is, whether you care about the potholes getting filled, the type of property development occurring in your local area or broader issues like climate change - your local council is is the closest level of government and the most likely to deliver at a grassroots level.
By the time the average adult brushes their teeth and drives to work or to the shops in the morning, they've likely utilised dozens of services provided by their local council.
According to Local Government NSW [LGNSW], an independent organisation that exists to serve the interests of local councils across the State, there are 128 councils in NSW which own and control assets worth around $200 billion. They spend more than $12 billion each year on providing key infrastructure, facilities and services to local communities.
And according to the NSW Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock, the 'old adage that councils are about roads, rates and rubbish is long gone'.
"Today, our modern-day councils are big business - and the numbers are staggering," Ms Hancock said.
In The Upper Hunter local government area of Singleton, the council's general manager, Jason Linnane, described local government as 'the most diverse industry on Earth'.
In Port Stephens, concerns over high-rise development and the future of Nelson Bay provided the impetus for the creation of the Tomaree Ratepayers & Residents Association.
The group, formed in 2008 to provide a voice for residents on issues affecting the Tomaree Peninsula and to serve as 'a conduit for communication between the Port Stephens Council, its elected representatives and the community', according to its president Ben van der Wijngaart.
"This level of government is also arguably the most important as it has to regularly deal face-to-face with the people for which it exists," he said.
Why do we need local government?
AN immediate link to those who manage so much of our daily lives is a vital and a basic right in any democracy.
"Councils are unique, exercising their functions under the strategic direction and oversight of a governing body made up of locals passionate about their community and elected by their community.," Ms Hancock said.
"That's why they are best placed to identify and deliver community goals and aspirations for the local community.
For the Singleton GM, councils are the 'glue that brings people together based on a shared sense of belonging and wellbeing through a framework of essential and critical services and infrastructure'.
"That role is heightened in emergency situations when people are looking for leadership and guidance to keep our communities safe and secure," Mr Linnane said.
"In the past few years, our communities have endured bushfires, floods and of course the COVID-19 pandemic, and in each scenario I've been proud of the way council crews have stepped up to respond quickly and efficiently, often with no regard for their own circumstances, because of their dedication to our local community.
"Strategic planning at this local level also encourages everyone to come together to have input into the vision and direction of our towns and villages.
What do they do?
Ask anyone to sum up the role of their council and they'll likely mention those three Rs: roads, rates and rubbish, but it goes further.
"The ultimate role of local government and the purpose of everything we do is to create community," Mr Linnane said.
"Try to imagine anywhere in the developed world where rubbish isn't collected, there are no playgrounds for our kids, there are no footy goalposts or cricket pitches or netball courts, no one is making sure the food in our local cafes is safe to eat and anyone can build what they want, where they want. How different would your life be?"
How does it work with the state government?
It may come as a surprise, but according to LGNSW, local government is not actually recognised as a level of government by the Constitution.
"Local government is an essential part of Australia's system of government. Its contribution to our national wellbeing can be measured in economic, social and environmental terms," the LGNSW website states.
"That's why local government should be recognised in the Australian Constitution, alongside Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. Securing much-needed funding at a practical level, including local government in the Australian Constitution is about securing funding to deliver community services.
"That's because local government relies on funding from the state and federal governments to carry out many of its responsibilities."
According to Mr Linnane, the way to operate within the current framework under state and federal governments is through collaboration.
"An increasingly important part of our role - particularly in Singleton - is to work closely with our local members of parliament and government agencies to our align efforts and advocate for the needs of our community at the State and federal levels," he said.
Ms Hancock agreed.
"The Local Government Act has been designed to ensure that councils reflect the diversity of the communities they represent," she said.
What are the planning powers?
Planning for the long-term future of local government areas is one of the many strengths of councils, according to Mr Linnane.
"As the level of government closest to the community, our residents, businesses, investors and visitors are actively encouraged to have input and ownership into setting the direction for our towns and villages which directly influence the operations of council," he said.
"The most obvious long-term plan is the community strategic plan, which develops a 10-year vision for each local government area based on input from the entire community.
"Conversely, cost shifting is a significant issue faced by local government because it undermines the financial sustainability of our sector by forcing councils to assume responsibility for more infrastructure and services without sufficient corresponding resourcing. Recent examples include local government elections, waste management and the Emergency Services Compensation Scheme."
What makes a good council?
The NSW government sacked the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council in 2008 over its construction and budget blowout of a cultural and entertainment centre known as the Glasshouse. Armidale Regional Council was placed into administration in 2020 and Wingecarribee in the Southern Highlands was suspended earlier this year.
So, what makes a good council?
"Councils are elected community representatives. Their role is to advocate for residents in the community and represent them when decisions are made," Ms Hancock said.
"This means regular consultation with the community, important decision making at public council meetings, engaging with state and federal governments to get the best outcomes for their communities.
"Councillors are civic leaders. They have a Code of Conduct to adhere to, and their communities hold the power to keep them in their position on council or replace them at the regular local government election periods."
Singleton's GM attributed a successful council to cohesion and teamwork among other factors.
"Like any organisation, the success of a local council depends on everyone involved," Mr Linnane said.
In the view of the Tomaree Ratepayers & Residents Association transparency and accountability is key.
"It is imperative that local government is above all transparent, accessible and accountable to the people of the LGA," Mr van der Wijngaart said.
"A good council takes the long-term view and can only function effectively if it forms community-informed and supported strategies and policies and sticks to those policies."
What are the biggest challenges councils face?
Balancing the books and keeping council in the black is a hot-button issue just about wherever you go.
An independent inquiry into the Financial Sustainability of NSW Local Government concluded in 2006 that local government needed to find an extra $900 million a year back then to overcome an infrastructure backlog that councils could not afford to meet.
And according to Mr Linnane, issues like climate change and the pandemic have presented a new set of obstacles.
"As ambassadors for our community and the level of government closest to serving the basic needs of our residents, being able to meet the expectations and deliver everything our communities deserve with limited resources, and while maintaining a balanced budget, will always be the biggest challenge for councils," he said.
"On a broader level, financial sustainability, cost shifting, cyber crime, climate change, political instability, natural disasters, and the pandemic also pose significant risks and impacts to our operations, viability and ability to deliver services and infrastructure at a standard our community expects and deserves."
The Tomaree Ratepayers & Residents Association tended to agree.
"Dealing with the local effects of climate change as in storms, sea-level rise, urban heating, infrastructure damage, etc; balancing development pressure with services and infrastructure limitation while maintaining the lived and natural environment and funding sources," Mr van der Wijngaart said.
What are the biggest misconceptions?
According to Mr Linnane there is a general lack of understanding about what each tier of government does.
"With the vast diversity of the services we deliver, there are some who still believe we are just "roads/rates/rubbish"," he said.
"I hear comments from people all the time accusing councils of just being able to raise rates on a whim when costs blow out or some other circumstances arise. That is simply untrue."