The Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA) is the peak body for local government in South Australia. The LGA provides leadership and services to councils, and represents the sector to State and Federal Governments and other key stakeholders. Membership of the LGA is voluntary, but all 68 of South Australia’s councils are members.The LGA provides value to its members through advocating on behalf of the sector, assisting councils in building capacity, and facilitating continuous improvement. Member councils can access a wide range of additional services through their LGA membership, including education and training programs, website hosting and legal advice.

2021-About the LGA

The LGA Strategic Plan 2021-25 outlines how the LGA will provide value to its members through four key strategies to:

About the LGA’s Annual Business Plan

22Annual

Business Plan 2021-22

The Annual Business Plan outlines the actions the Association will take over the 2021-22 financial year to achieve the outcomes sought by the Strategic Plan in the form of annual objectives, key initiatives, ongoing services and key performance indicators. The Annual Business Plan was developed in conjunction with the annual budget, and in consultation with LGA staff, the LGA Board, GAROC, SAROC , Audit and Risk Committee, CEO Advisory Group and member councils.

Full achievement of advocacy priorities expressed in the LGA Advocacy Plan, GAROC and SAROC Annual Business Plans, and through Items of Business

at General Meetings.1Objective

2Objective

Through advocacy, the LGA aims to achieve greater influence for local government. The LGA’s advocacy work is informed by its Advocacy Plan, Communications Plan, the Annual Business Plans of its GAROC and SAROC committees, as well as through Items of Business adopted at LGA General Meetings. The LGA’s advocacy work is supported by rolling awareness campaigns that aim to increase understanding of the role and value of councils.Proactively influencing Federal and State elections that will occur in the next 12-18 months are key advocacy priorities for 2021-22. The Council Elections project, which will prepare resources, training and campaigns to prepare councils and communities for the October 2022 local government elections, is another key focus.

3Objective

Increase the reach of and engagement with the LGA’s communications to the community, stakeholders and member councils.

AdvocateAchieving greater influence for local

government in matters affecting councils and communities.

• Delivery of State Election Strategy by September 2021, and implementation of actions in advance of the March 2022 State election.

• Delivery of Federal Election Strategy, aligned to ALGA’s Federal Election Campaign, in advance of the Federal election.

• Federal and State Governments make election commitments that are favourable to councils and their communities as a result of LGA advocacy.

• Increase the community’s understanding of the role of councils in the community against 2021 baseline as measured in the LGA’s annual community survey.

• Increase the number of followers across the LGA’s Facebook and Linkedin accounts by 20% compared with June 2021 baseline.

• Placement of at least 24 positive media stories relevant to local government across 2021/22.

• Elected Member Mandatory Training Standards revised by September 2021.

• Pre-election training program launched by October 2021.

• Make a Difference candidate campaign for 2022 elections ready to launch by October 2021. 4Objective

Prepare councils and communities for the 2022 Local Government elections.

• Achieve a value for money score of 8 or more for advocacy services in the 2021 Member’s Survey.

• Annual update of the LGA’s Advocacy Plan adopted by the LGA Board of Directors by September 2021.

• Quarterly progress reporting of advocacy efforts and outcomes to the LGA Board of Directors.

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KPIs

Influence the policy agenda of Federal and State Government elections for the benefit of councils and their communities.

• Achievement of all LG Equip milestones by the timeframes established in the LG Equip Implementation Plan.

• Achieve a rolling average download rate of 40 (i.e. at least 40 councils) for governance resources developed by the LG Equip program.

• Demonstrate the value that the LGA added to the LG Equip program through program reviews and feedback from councils.

• Full achievement of all milestones in all grant funded programs as reported to funders, member councils and via the Quarterly Grant Dashboard to the LGA Board of Directors.

Lead the implementation of local government reforms though the LG Equip program.

7Objective

Strengthen the capacity of member councils through partnerships and grant funded initiatives.

Provide resources, services and advice that save councils time and money, and reduce risk.

• Achieve a value for money score of 8 or more for policy and legislation services in the 2021 Member’s Survey.

• Achieve a value for money score of 7 or more for LGA Training and maintain an average participant rating from feedback forms of 4 out of 5.

• Integration of all training provided by the LGA into LGA Training by June 2022.

• Monitor resource downloads from the LGA’s member-only website as the basis of establishing a baseline for future monitoring.

• Respond to 100% of eligible requests for support from councils or control agencies to the LGFSG.

• Maintain the local government sector’s emergency response capabilities through the LGFSG Development Program, including the training of at least 1,000 council employees.

• Achievement of all One System Review milestones by the timeframes established in the Program Plan.

• Achievement of all CWMS Review milestones by the timeframes established in the Implementation Plan.

• Maintain or increase the value of LGA Procurement services to councils as measured by the LGA’s annual value proposition and LGA Procurement’s customer satisfaction survey.

6Objective

Through assist, the LGA provides resources, services and advice that build the capacity of member councils. Supporting councils to implement local government reforms is the key assist strategy for 2021-22 and will drive action across the LGA’s governance and legislation, training, policy and communications functions. At the same time, the LGA will continue to strengthen the capacity of member councils across a wide range of areas of council operations, including financial sustainability, infrastructure, disability inclusion, web services, emergency management and training. The LGA will also deliver important assist outcomes through its subsidiaries LGASA Mutual and LGA Procurement.

AssistWorking with member councils to build capacity and increase

sustainability. An integrated and coordinated local government.

5Objective

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KPIs

The LGA helps to advance the local government sector through continuous improvement, research and development and providing innovative new services and partnerships that help councils to place downward pressure on rates. In 2021/22, areas of key focus will include embedding a data-driven process to explore best practice operations by council service area, cyber security and establishing the HR Shared Service Centre.

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Develop new partnerships and services help councils innovate and prepare for the future.

• Achieve a value for money score of 8 or more for advance services in the 2021 Member’s Survey.

• Monitor resource downloads from the LGA’s Research and Development Library as the basis of establishing a baseline for future monitoring.

• Establish an evaluation framework for LGR&DS by March 2022.

• At least 20 councils using the HR Shared Service Centre in 2021-22.

• Business case for an emergency management planning service by September 2021.

AdvanceFacilitating continuous improvement

in councils and the LGA.

8Objective

Research and communicate on emerging issues for councils and their communities.

• Establish an opt-in service that allows councils to explore best practice operations by service areas, and pilot with at least one service in 2021-22. 9Objective

Facilitate evidence-based continuous improvement through performance measurement systems.

KPIs

The LGA’s ability to serve its members relies upon strong organisational foundations in areas such as financial management and people and culture, and the agility that comes from our size and structure as a member based association.In 2021-22, the LGA will focus on improvements to corporate systems, completing capital upgrades to Local Government House and strengthening how it captures and reports value to its members. The LGA will also take action to implement its Climate Commitment Action Plan and develop a new Reconciliation Action Plan.

Strengthen the LGA’s financial sustainability through system improvements, capital upgrades and increase revenue from value-adding member services

and subsidiaries.

• Ensure resolutions and Items of Business from meetings of the OGM, AGM, SAROC, GAROC and LGA Board are completed or remain on track to be completed within a reasonable time to the satisfaction of the responsible Board or Committee.

• Ensure the LGA’s Board meets its approved budget for the year, adjusted for extraordinary items and approved changes in quarterly budget reviews.

• Income from member subscriptions to not exceed 25% of overall revenue.

• 10% growth in revenue from value-adding member services.

• Provide a dividend from the operations of LGA Procurement in accordance with the LGA’s Long Term Financial Plan.

• Improvements to the Technology One finance system are implemented by June 2022.

• Long Term Financial Plan established in the Technology One finance system by June 2022.

• Complete bathroom updates at LG House by March 2022, and lift upgrades by June 2022.

• Develop a long term plan for corporate ICT systems by March 2022.

• Progress on delivery against the LGA’s People and Culture Plan 2021-2025 as reported quarterly.

• Provide a safe working environment as measured by zero lost time injury frequency rate.

KPIsImplement resolutions from LGA General Meetings, LGA Board, LGA Subsidiary Boards and Board Committees.

Improve corporate systems as a means of improving how the LGA delivers and reports on value provided

to members.

Provide a safe, healthy and rewarding work environment.

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• Report on progress in implementing the LGA Climate Commitment to the LGA Board by December 2021, and to the OGM in April 2022.

• New Reconciliation Action Plan adopted by the LGA Board of Directors no later than June 2022.

Lead by example through implementing the LGA Climate Commitment and developing a new Reconciliation Action Plan.

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AchieveEmbed best practice governance and

operations to enwable the LGA to provide value to members

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The LGA’s budget for 2021/22 includes a slight surplus from operating activities of $5,000 and $133,000 deficit from project activities. Net expenditure from project activities is due to the expenditure of grant funding received in prior financial years.

ExpenditureThe LGA’s expenditure is divided into employee costs, administration, contractors and consultants, LG House and depreciation, as follows:

Employee Costs Includes all staff costs, oncosts, board and committee and other fees.

Administration Costs Includes office expenses, software licencing and costs to support activities including Squiz, events, training and forums.

Contractors and Consultants Consultants and contractors are used for policy development, training costs, legal advice, squiz content management software and other similar costs.

LG House, Depreciation and Other This includes depreciation of the fit out and building, costs associated with the cleaning, utilities and maintenance of LG House and various other costs.

Operating activity $’000 Project activity* $’000

Total Income 9,588 Total Grants Received 6,508

Less Less Total Expenditure 6,641

Employee Costs 4,724 Net Surplus/Deficit (133)

Operating Expenditure 4,072

Depreciation 787

Net Surplus/Deficit 5

Budget Overview

Membership Subscirptions

25%

Scheme Revenue

24%

Fee-for-service

23%

Fee-for-service Includes income from education and training courses,

sponsorship, forums, events and web services.

Scheme Revenue Comprises a contribution received from LGASA

Mutual and Local Government Risk Services (LGRS) from the Workers Compensation Scheme, Mutual Liability Scheme, Assets Mutual Fund and other LGRS risk services provided to councils.

Subscriptions Comprises membership subscriptions paid by councils to the LGA.

Other Includes a contribution from LGA Procurement

of $50,000 and grant revenue from the State Government covering the LGA’s interest payments

from the SLGIP program.

* includes grants administered by the LGA that are not reported income and expenditure.

LG House

13%Other

15%

Revenue LGA’s revenue is divided into income from fee-for-service activities, scheme administration revenue, membership subscriptions and rental income from LG House, as follows:

Contractors

10%

Employee costs

50%

Depreciation

8%

LG House

7%

Admin, Other

25%

Gawler

148 Frome St Adelaide SA 5000

GPO Box 2693 Adelaide SA 5001

(08) 8224 2000

lgasa@lga.sa.gov.au

www.lga.sa.gov.au

@LGAofSA

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