The department will be closed from Monday 23 December 2024 and will reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025. We will respond to queries in the new year. Best wishes for a safe and happy festive season.
The department provides executive support to both the Local Government Advisory Board and the WA Local Government Grants Commission.
The Local Government Advisory Board is a statutory body established under the Local Government Act 1995 (the Act) to advise the Minister for Local Government on local government constitutional matters.
It has 5 members and 4 deputy members, including members nominated by local government and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
The Minister appoints the chair of the board and a member from the department, as well as 2 members from nominations supplied by the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) and 1 member from nominations supplied by Local Government Professionals Western Australia (LG Pro). The board is supported by departmental officers.
The board's major function is to assess proposals to change local government boundaries and their systems of representation and then make recommendations to the Minister.
Chairperson, Vacant as at March 2024Nominated by Minister
Deputy Chairperson, Ms Bana Brajanovic - DLGSC, Director Policy and LegislationNominated by DLGSC Director GeneralTerm ends 31 August 2026
Member, Mr Anthony Vuleta - Town of Victoria Park, Chief Executive OfficerNominated by Local Government Professionals WA (LG Pro)Term ends 31 August 2024
Member, Cr Russ Fishwick - City of Joondalup, Deputy MayorNominated by Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)Term ends 31 August 2024
Member, Cr Caroline Knight - City of Mandurah, Deputy MayorNominated by Minister for Local GovernmentTerm ends 31 August 2024
Deputy to Bana Brajanovic, Ms Amy Halliday - DLGSC, Manager Sector SupportNominated by DLGSC Director GeneralTerm ends 31 August 2026
Deputy to Anthony Vuleta, Ms Joanne Soderlund - Shire of Tammin, Chief Executive OfficerNominated by Local Government Professionals WA (LG Pro)Term ends 31 August 2024
Deputy to Russ Fishwick, Cr Karen Wheatland - City of Melville, CouncillorNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2024
Deputy to Caroline Knight, Cr Jannah Stratford - Shire of Koorda, PresidentNominated by Minister for Local GovernmentTerm ends 31 August 2024
Under Schedule 2.2 of the Act, local governments with wards must conduct regular reviews of ward boundaries of representation in consultation with their communities.
The board considers the outcome of these reviews and ensures that the local governments have complied with the Act.
The board must recommend to the minister any proposal that, in its opinion, correctly takes account of the criteria in the documents below. The minister may accept or reject the board's recommendation but cannot change it.
Under reforms to the Local Government Act introduced in 2023, changes were made aimed at ensuring that local governments better serve residents and ratepayers. The reforms were developed in consultation with the local government sector.
The following templates may be useful for local governments that are submitting a ward and/or representation review to the board.
Under Schedule 2.1 of the Act, proposals to change local government district boundaries can be submitted to the board by the minister, local governments or electors of an affected local government.
Where the board decides that a proposed district boundary change is not minor, it must conduct formal inquiries giving affected local governments and electors six weeks to make submissions.
The board must consider any submissions received and take specific factors into consideration. When its assessment is complete, the board submits a report to the Minister for Local Government with a recommendation. This may recommend that the proposal be accepted or rejected. The minister may accept or reject the board’s recommendation but cannot change it.
In May 2019, the board resolved to conduct a formal inquiry into a proposal to amend the boundary between the Shire of Nannup and the Shire of Manjimup so that 33 dwellings currently located on the Lower Donnelly River in the Shire of Nannup would be transferred to the Shire of Manjimup.
The board conducted a public submission period from 29 June 2019 until 2 August 2019.
The Minister endorsed the board’s recommendation to not accept the proposal submitted by the Lower Donnelly River Conservation Association (LDRCA) to amend the boundary between the Shire of Nannup and the Shire of Manjimup.
A copy of the inquiry report is available below.
In June 2021, the then Minister for Local Government provided a Statement of Expectation to the Local Government Advisory Board.
This statement reflects the Public Sector Commissioner's governance and performance requirements for State Government boards.
In August 2021, the Local Government Advisory Board provided a Statement of Intent to the Minister for Local Government.
Telephone 61 8 6552 7300Email advisoryboard@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
The WA Local Government Grants Commission (Grants Commission) is a statutory body established under the Local Government Grants Act 1978.
Its principal function is to make recommendations to the Minister for Local Government regarding the allocation of Commonwealth financial assistance grants to WA's 137 local governments and the two Indian Ocean Territories.
The commission consists of a chairperson, deputy chairperson and three local government elected members. The commission also includes four deputy members. It is supported by departmental officers.
For detailed information relating to Financial Assistance Grants, including current allocations please visit: Financial Assistance Grants
Deputy Chairperson, Mr Luke Stevens - DLGSC, Senior LawyerNominated by DLGSC Director GeneralTerm ends 31 August 2024
Metropolitan Member, Mr Colin Cameron - City of Subiaco, Chief Executive OfficerNominated by Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)Term ends 31 August 2024
Country Urban Member, Dr Wendy Giles - City of Bunbury, Former CouncillorNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2026
Country Rural Member, Ms Melinda Prinsloo - Shire of Chittering, Chief Executive OfficerNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2024
Deputy to the Deputy Chair, VacantNominated by DLGSC Director General
Deputy Metropolitan Member, Cr David Goode - City of Gosnells, CouncillorNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2024
Deputy Country Urban Member, Ms Virginia Miltrup - City of Karratha, Chief Executive OfficerNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2026
Deputy Country Rural Member, Cr Christopher Mitchell - Shire of Broome, PresidentNominated by WALGATerm ends 31 August 2024
In June 2021, the then Minister for Local Government provided a Statement of Expectation to the WA Local Government Grants Commission.
The Statement reflects the Public Sector Commissioner's governance and performance requirements for State Government boards.
WA Local Government Grants Commission - Ministerial Statement of Expectation
To the Minister for Local Government
Thank you for your Statement of Expectation, dated June 2021. On behalf of the WA Local Government Grants Commission, I am pleased to respond with this Statement of Intent, which outlines how the commission will implement your expectations.
I formally commit the commission to meeting your expectations and to ensuring that the Government's key requirements for the commission are realised. We will continue to work to ensure that the community's confidence in the commission is preserved and strengthened and that, in all our activities, we operate in a way that promotes collaboration and demonstrates accountability and transparency in support of the government's priorities.
We wish to reaffirm all elements of the Statement of Expectations and include the following priorities:
Commission members will undertake their duties with the required diligence, care and skill. The commission will adopt and follow best practice governance processes, ensuring all members are aware of, and comply with, governance principles and reporting arrangements as set out in the Local Government Grants Act 1978 (WA) and in the commission's governance documents, such as the Code of Conduct and the Commissioner's Charter.
Corporate governance documents will be reviewed on a regular basis. Appropriate training will be provided to commission members as required. The commission will continue to maintain the high level of corporate governance that is already in place, including a robust, transparent and accountable system of annual reporting to Parliament.
Commission members will act ethically and impartially at all times and will identify, declare and manage any real or perceived conflict of interest in the discharge of its functions.
The commission will continue to develop processes and methodologies that ensure that the allocation and distribution of Commonwealth grants funding by the commission is evidence based, fair, objective and impartial.
As required, the commission will undertake performance reviews, to ensure that:
Advice will be provided to you in a timely manner in relation to commission appointments. Consideration will also be given to the benefits of combining longer term, more experienced members, with newer members, who may provide a path to commission renewal.
In addition to statutory functions, the commission will take into account wider economic benefits to the state, impacts on other Government agencies and key Government policies as part of the planning and decision-making processes, as appropriate.
The commission will also comply with relevant general policy requirements and will inform the Minister of any instances of non-compliance and the subsequent actions being taken to address the situation.
The commission will endeavour to meet all required statutory financial management obligations. This will include ensuring that any actions taken in achieving the commission's objectives represent value for money.
The commission will ensure that timely and accurate information is provided to you to allow you to effectively meet your Ministerial and Parliamentary obligations.
The commission will also do the same for your advisers and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
The commission will continue to diligently manage its activities in accordance with legislative requirements and will continue to comply with all relevant corporate governance requirements.
All new members of the commission will undergo an induction program and will receive a comprehensive handbook detailing their role and responsibilities. All commission members are to abide by the Code of Conduct and will be offered ongoing support by the Chair and executive staff.
The commission looks forward to continuing to work with you and delivering on your Ministerial expectations.
Cr Dan BullChair, WA Local Government Grants Commission
Telephone 61 8 6552 1673Email grants.commission@dlgsc.wa.gov.au