Some good news. No nett cost for LGAQ membership again in 2019-20 for members of the LGM and LGW schemes.
That is a repeat of last year. Indeed, in aggregate we will give back slightly more than overall member subscriptions and the plan is to continue to do just that for at least the next decade. You can’t beat that for value for money as we roll out $22 million of member advocacy, support and service for nil nett cost. No other peak body in Australia delivers that for its members.
LGAQ products and fee for service work will rise by three percent but these are priced substantially better than our competitors in the market place.
A highlight of this year’s budget is the abolition of Elected Member Update (EMU) costs. Henceforth these are free, which will be a welcome relief for smaller cash-strapped members.
This will cost the budget about $180,000 a year, which represents the cost of ferrying up to eight LGAQ teams across the length and breadth of Queensland to deliver the yearly EMU program. There’s nowhere we don’t or won’t go to help inform and train elected members.
We will also invest around $100,000 in ensuring new councillors following the March 2020 elections are better educated about their roles and receive vital 'on-boarding' advice.
Moreover, we have included funding for the Local Government Independent Electoral Monitor, whose office will operate from December 2019 through to 28 March 2020. This will be a one-off cost of $350,000.
Other budget items of interest include the final instalment of the Association's $3 million Proud to be Your Council media campaign and funding for new advocacy and member activity dashboards on LG Online. This means members will be able to follow the LGAQ’s general advocacy campaigns by the hour if they want and, ultimately, access a daily updated list of the support and services the Association provides to their council.
We will finalise the innovative Game On community engagement app for councils and have it out to members by Christmas. Lastly, there is a big push in this new budget to complete the Jadu website transitions. All up we have invested $3 million over two years to give members world class technology.
I’m really proud to work with our President, Board directors, Policy Executive members and, most importantly, the amazing LGAQ staff to provide unparalleled value for money to our 77 member councils.
We do what we say. Connect. Innovate. Achieve