Professional Development for NSW Councillors

Our training sessions  have been developed to give NSW councillors the knowledge they need to actively contribute to discussion on financial matters, and the confidence to do so. After completing these training sessions, councillors will be able to fully understand the reports management provide to them, and fulfil their role to oversee financial accountability.

You will learn everything you need to fulfil your financial oversight responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW); and to contribute to the sound financial management of your council.

These training sessions will count toward your Continuing Professional Development requirements under Part 8A of the NSW Local Government Regulations 2021.

This course has been designed for elected councillors that do not have an accounting background. We’ll cover all the fundamental topics that will help you to understand what it is you are reviewing in your business papers:

• The components of Financial Statements
• How to conduct a high level review of Annual Financial Statements
• Issues to look out for in Financial Statements
• Introduction to Depreciation

All our case studies are from real councils and are designed to be fun and engaging. We’ll look at some of the red flags that were missed at Central Coast, and give you the confidence to know that you understand what you’re approving, and to question the things you are not comfortable with.

This course has been designed for elected councillors that do not have an accounting background. We’ll cover all the fundamental topics that will help you to understand what it is you are reviewing in your business papers:

• Depreciation of Infrastructure Assets
• Infrastructure maintenance: Getting the basics right
• Performance ratios: what they mean and what they mask

The course will be conducted with your own council’s Financial Statements and Report on Infrastructure Assets. We’ll review the reports to get a sense of what your council’s infrastructure backlog is, and how you might go about addressing it.

This module will count toward your Continuing Professional Development requirements under Part 8A of the NSW Local Government Regulations 2021.

View our other courses for NSW councillors here

This report can show early signs that council is in trouble, but how do you know what to look for? This course has been designed for elected councillors to better understand what they are reviewing in the monthly Report ion Council Investments which is required under s 212 of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW).

• Restricted and Unrestricted Funds
• Allowable Investments
• What to look for and ask for in a report

The course will be conducted with your own council’s Report on Council Investments, and we’ll also look at some other councils that missed the red flags in these reports.

This training will count toward your Continuing Professional Development requirements under Part 8A of the NSW Local Government Regulations 2021.