Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

All you need to know about Local Government

Western Australian Councillors are enthusiastically embracing the Western Australian Municipal Association's extensive, nationally accredited, Elected Members Development Program. Conducted by the Municipal Training Branch, the Program aims to bring greater professionalism to Local Government.

It offers 13 separate modules covering topics from the legal responsibilities of elected members to customer service and complaints handling. Participants can elect to do one or all modules depending on their particular needs.

Wendy Perdon from Municipal Training said the Program is designed to accommodate the diverse factors affecting Councillors in Western Australia. "We take the program to most regions of Western Australia," she said. "Over 95% of the course has been conducted inhouse, solving the travel issues of remote Councils." She said funding is now available to subsidise those who still have to travel to access the program.

In addition to the Development Program, Municipal Training also conducts two seminars a month on issues such as the GST and the implications for Local Government of National Competition Policy. For those who want intensive training, four day Councillor Development Weekends offer the chance to discuss more topical issues.

"At these weekends, representatives hear from the Local Government Minister first hand, and they have the chance to question him about issues of the moment," Wendy Perdon said. More than a third of Western Australia's Councils have participated in the Program, which has just concluded its first full year. Funding has now been received to extend the Program.

Councillor Alex Douglas from the Shire of Chittering is one of the first Councillors to complete the entire 13 modules. He said it is an invaluable program. "There is nothing worse than ratepayers asking you what is going on and you have to shrug your shoulders and say you do not understand it either," he said. "The more you learn the more effectively you can do your job."

Wendy Perdon said Municipal Training envisages developing another five modules based on the needs of Councillors, as identified by Councillors themselves. As Local Government is confronted with an increasingly complex role, easy access to ongoing training for elected members is vital. Being nationally accredited, this Program is also easily transferable to other States.

For further information contact Wendy Perdon, telephone (08) 9321 5092.

The following articles are also included in this edition or go BACK to the main page: