From Hilltops Council – Marg Roles

A hundred years of service to the community is to be acknowledged and recognised.

Both Mercy and the Country Women’s’ Association (CWA) recently celebrated such a length of service to and involvement in, our local community. It was an honour to be involved in both events and to have the opportunity to thank all for their contribution to the social capital of our Hilltops region.

Boorowa CWA will continue the celebration this weekend with an open invitation to festivities in the park.

In June this year I reported to the community on the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly that I attended on behalf of Hilltops.

Included was a regional forum that focused on specific issues faced by rural, regional and remote communities.

Discussions in all forums were underlined by the issue of ongoing financial sustainability or as Minister Kristy McBain understated: ‘tricky financial times’.

Recently I attended the ALGANSW conference where once again ‘tricky financial times’ underpinned much of the tenor and concerns of the meeting both in the public arena and informal discussion.

It is becoming an impossibility for rural councils to fund the costs of services ‘shifted’ from the state government to local government - 78% increase over just 5 years (LGANSW report,) whilst at the same time, managing increasing cost pressures which include insurance, wages, and depreciation.

This week I will be representing our Hilltops community at the Country Mayors meeting at Parliament House, Sydney. It is important that we are part of these forums to show solidarity with other rural and regional LGAs to lobby for a more equitable way to fund local government into the future.

Margaret Roles
Mayor

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• Local Council