Monday 2 March, 2015.

Venue: Bungendore

Region: South East SEROC

Cost: Members: $600 + GSTNon Members: $700 + GSTCouncillors: Free *

Morning and Afternoon teas and Lunch provided.

To book for Councillors please contact Elsie on 02 8267 3008

The answer to this question is critical for our community’s safety, economic prosperity and for our children’s future.

Councils, elected officials and professional staff are facing growing challenges in meeting community expectations whilst working within constrained financial and regulatory boundaries.

So how do we get the balance right, demonstrate we can be ‘Fit for Future’ yet provide long term plans that will ensure our infrastructure is ‘Fit for Purpose’ at an affordable cost?

IPWEA (NSW), working with the Office of Local Government, has developed this workshop to help Council Engineers, Accountants, General Managers and Councillors establish a more consistent, reliable and repeatable basis for:• optimising decision making in relation to community infrastructure • helping our community make the connection between level of service and

risk (including public safety)• analysing the infrastructure gap and backlog whilst dealing with network

deficiencies and capacity challenges • meeting the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993 & Civil

Liabilities Act 2001 • developing integrated long term infrastructure management plans with

aligned financial plans • advocating to the State and Australian governments for a better funding

deal for our communities.

About the Presentations Session 1 - 9.00 - 9.30 am

A reality check a) Financial position of local

government

b) Levels of service, community satisfaction and willingness to pay

c) Risk management in relation to infrastructure (incl. Civil Liability Act)

Session 2 - 9.45 - 10.30 am

Things have changed post “Fit for the Future”

a) How sustainable is our infrastructure funding?

b) It’s not just about “levels of service” but “risk”: understanding the implications of decisions

c) What about critical new infrastructure?

Session 3 - 11.00 am - 12.30 pmKey barriers to improvement and how

these can be overcome a) Telling “the story about

infrastructure” clearly within the IPR

b) Consistency of methodologies and confidence in the figures Road Asset Benchmarking (RABM)Project, AM maturity)

c) Regional collaboration

Session 4 - 1.30 pm - .2.15 pm Case study: the MIDROC

“talking apples and apples about infrastructure” project (including asset-specific benchmarks, proposed road asset hierarchy, definition of backlog)

Working together in your region 2.30 - 4.30 pm Facilitated discussion: consistency,

collaboration and improvement - next steps.

Councillors Workshop * Commencing at 5.30 pm followed by refreshments.and networking.

IPWEA Fit for Purpose LG Reform Workshops

Will your Council be ‘Fit for Purpose’ after ‘Fit for Future’

Who Should Attend? Engineers Finance Managers General Managers

Councillors Asset Managers

IPWEA’s Presenter - Ben LawsonBen Lawson (BE hons.,ME, MBA) has 20 years’ experience in all aspects of infrastructure-related service delivery, more recently with a focus on strategic asset management planning both for an individual council and across a regional group.

A fifth generation public works engineer, beginning in design, Ben has worked his way up the ladder of engineering to become a leader within local government with a detailed understanding of infrastructure challenges.

Ben directed a comprehensive service review project at Coffs Harbour City Council that defined levels of service against cost of delivery, breaking new ground in facilitating meaningful input from the community, informed decision making by councillors and greater clarity of purpose and accountability for staff. He continues to lead the “talking apples and apples about infrastructure” project for MIRDROC that aims to produce a consistent methodology to plan for and report on the lifecycle status of assets. Adding another feather to his hat, Ben is also involved with the Regional Asset Management Strategy

Outcomes for GM’s, financial and engineering officers:1. Best practice in community engagement regarding levels of service and support for councillors making policy decisions

about infrastructure.2. Principles for allocation of limited resources based on risk to the community to meet council’s statutory obligations. 3. Making sure your depreciation is reasonable (supported by real information from other councils)*4. Managing assets responsibly in the context of demands to iprove Fit for the Future ratios.5. A focused discussion with your neighbours about the “big issues” relating to asset management, Special Schedule 7 and

Fit for the Future.6. Hear about what other regions around the state are doing to tackle these same challenges.

Outcomes for Elected Representatives1. Main factors determining whether or not your council is “fit for the future”. 2. Kay Issues you need to consider to ensure your infrastructure is “fit for purpose”3. Consistency between councils: why it is vital to provide you with confidence in the figures and support regional

collaboration (not just benchmark councils)4. Councillors role and obligations with regards to asset management.5. An opportunity to discuss your council’s approach to managing assets in the context of Fit for the Future with your

neighbours.

A repeat condensed workshop covering sessions 1 & 2 will be offered for Councillors from

5.30 pm to 7.30 pm Free of charge*.*One Councillor will be free of charge for each fee paying delegate from their organisation who attends the day session.

For further information, please contact IPWEA (NSW)• Email: pd@ipwea.org • Ph: (02) 8267 3001 • Web: www.ipwea.org/nswLevel 12, 447 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

For registration and workshop fees, please click on this link:

http://www.ipwea.org/nsw

IPWEA Fit for Purpose Local Government Reform Workshops

Will your Council be ‘Fit for Purpose’ after ‘Fit for Future’