Information Guide GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL PART 1 - INTRODUCTION This Information Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 20 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) and is reviewed annually. The purpose of Council’s Information Guide is to provide members of the community, Council staff and the public with information concerning: • The structure and functions of Council • The way in which the functions of Council affect members of the public • The avenues available to the public to participate in policy development and the exercise of Council’s functions; and • The type of information available from Council and how this information is made available. The Information Guide is available at www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version Georges River Council 2 CONTENTS Part 1 Part 4 Introduction ........................................................................2 Public Participation in Local Government ........................10 Part 2 Part 5 Structure and Functions of Council ...................................4 Access to Information ......................................................12 Part 3 Part 6 How Council Functions Affect the Public ...........................9 Contact Details ................................................................17 Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version Georges River Council 3 PART 2 – STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL Georges River Council at a glance Georges River Council (Council) was proclaimed by the NSW Government on 12 May 2016 and incorporates the former Hurstville City and Kogarah City local government areas. The Georges River Council area is located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, about 15-17 kilometres from the Sydney CBD. The area is one of Sydney’s eight regional centres, with dynamic economic growth, a proud sporting legacy and broad cultural diversity. Suburbs in the Georges River Council area include Allawah, Beverley Park, Blakehurst, Carss Park, Connells Point, Hurstville, Hurstville Grove, Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Lugarno, Mortdale, Oatley, Peakhurst, Peakhurst Heights, Penshurst and South Hurstville. The local area also includes parts of Beverley Hills, Carlton, Kingsgrove, Narwee, Ramsgate, Riverwood and Sans Souci. Figure 1 shows the Georges River Council boundary area which includes 5 Wards: Blakehurst, Hurstville, Kogarah Bay, Mortdale and Peakhurst. The estimated resident population at the 2016 Census was 149,489. The Georges River Council Community Profile uses data from the 2016, 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996 and 1991 Australian censuses. It Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version provides demographic information on our area’s residents, for each suburb and for the whole local government area. Georges River Council 4 AY TORW M5 MO KINGSGR AY ORW OT M M5 OVE R T O AD KING GEOR BEVERLY HILLS VANESSA STREE T GES R O GAN STREE AD MOR KINGSGROVE OAD ARROW R BROAD JOSOPHINE STREE T OAD ARROW R KING GEOR BROAD AD NARWEE AD R O OMILL O MOUNT ONEY CREEK R BA GES R ST RIVERWOOD HURLOW STREET UM T Y STREE AD ANS R VIE O O AD BONDS R W A ON R AD T O O AD VENUE HURSTVILLE WARD EDGBAST PENSHURST R OAD TION R HURSTVILLE BELMORE R BONDS R JUNC P A TRICK STREE HARR OW R O O AD AD CR O T O AD Y J OAD DON R A Y CREEK R C STONE KING GEOR AD Q U DOR PEAKHURST O E GL O S T AD A OUCESTER R A STREE ADE V PENSHURST E N AR U GE STREE GES R E Y P AD T A O GEOR T BELMORE R O W AD O AD OAD AIL HENR FOREST R R Y LAWSON DRIVE FOREST R VENUE T REGENT STREE T AVIS A D M AD A Y STREE O O TLE STREE R AT ANLE W FOREST R T ST OAD S T E QUEENS R R BO THE A O F T MORTDALE AN ON STREE R K T OC VENUE Y STREE AD ONIORA R GR R O POINT Y O KING GEORW AD KENSINGT A Y STREE EET T M STR FOREST R MOR URHA AINE STREE MORTDALE WARD D BOUND T ROAD LA FORES T GES R O T Y ORR S R C AD L OCK R AR O O AD ISAAC STREE Y R T AD VENUE PARADE O AILWAY ADE T O AD R AR AD DE AY P ORIA A ADE CA PARA W K T RLTON RAIL KOGARAH AR JUBILEE A E VIC ROBER AY P E TS AVENUE W R UNIVERSAL STREE RAIL C VENUE N BELLE A WONIOR ALLAWAH P T LT VUE P SA VENUE KING GEOR CARLTON A R AR ADE AD CREST A O AINE STREE AD O HILL JU B ORR GES R IL L W EE A Y A IT O P A V ADE E A AD ARK R NU FOREST R R E AD AR A O P O A PEAKHURST WARD A P SOUTH AD Y R R A PRINCES HIGHW R D O E ONOR HURSTVILLE C K Y OAD P WOR AD PEAKHURST VILLE R O BEVERLEY PARK O GUNGAH BA Y R I HURST HURSTVILLE N T R R HEIGHTS BLAKESLE O O A S GROVE D A KOGARAH BAY WARD MUL GA R S OAD T R OATLEY E E T K I BLAKEHURST WARD N G G RAMSGA ONNELLS POINT E TE R C O OAD R KOGARAH Y T G A E S Y STREE R BAY O TERR A D GEORGES PRINCES HIGHW LUGARNO RIVER CARSS PARK OMENADE KY LE P KYLE THE PR CONNELLS AR ADE E BAY D P R A POINT I GEORGES R N A C P E S RIVER E T L H Y I K G H W AD T STREE A Y O AR Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version STU Y POINT R GEORGES RIVER OCK BLAKEHURST SAN R SOUCI T Y A A STREE VIST PRINCES HIGHW GEORGES RIVER Georges River Council 5 How is Georges River Council managed? The role of the General Manager is to ensure the efficient and effective management of the organisation and for ensuring the decisions of the Council are enacted in a timely manner. This position is also responsible for the day-to-day management of Council, for exercising any functions delegated by Council, the implementation of Council’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, and the appointment, direction and other matters relating to staff. Management Structure Georges River Council’s General Manager is supported by an organisational structure which consists of six Directorates as illustrated below. GENERAL MANAGER Environment and Planning Office of the General Manager Assets and Infrastructure Community and Culture Environment and Planning Transformation and Change Directorate Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version Georges River Council 6 Under the Local Government Act 1993, Council’s functions can be grouped into the following categories: Function Service Services Including: • Community health, recreation, education and information services • Environmental protection • Waste removal and disposal • Land and property • Industry and tourism • Development and assistance • Water, sewerage and drainage works • Civil infrastructure planning, construction and maintenance Regulatory Including: • Approvals • Orders • Building certificates Revenue Including: • Rates • Charges • Fees • Borrowings • nvestments Ancillary Including: • Resumption of land • Powers of entry and inspection 1 Information Guide - Version Administration Including: • Employment of staff • Strategic planning • Financial reporting • Annual reports Enforcement Including: • Proceedings for breaches of the Local Government Act and other legislation Georges River Council • Prosecution of offences • Recovery of rates and charges 7 As well as the Local Government Act 1993, Council has powers under a number of other Acts, including but not limited to: Coastal Protection Act 1979 Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 Community Land Development Act Recreation Vehicles Act 1983 1989 Companion Animals Act 1998 Roads Act 1993 Conveyancing Act 1919 State Emergency Service Act 1989 Contaminated Land Management Act State Emergency and Rescue 1997 Management Act 1989 Environmental Planning and State Records Act 1998 Assessment Act 1979 Fire Brigades Act 1989 Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 Food Act 2003 Strata Schemes (Leasehold Development) Act 1986 Government Information (Public Strata Schemes Management Act Access) Act 2009 1996 Heritage Act 1977 Swimming Pools Act 1992 Information Guide - Version 1 Information Guide - Version Impounding Act 1993 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 Library Act 1939 Unclaimed Money Act 1995 Protection of the Environment Waste Avoidance and Resource Operations Act 1997 Recovery Act 2001 Georges River Council Public Health Act 2010 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 8 PART 3 – HOW COUNCIL FUNCTIONS AFFECT THE PUBLIC As a service organisation, the majority of the activities of Council have an impact on the public. The following is an outline of how the broad functions of Council affect the public. Service Functions Revenue Functions Service functions affect the public as Council provides services and Revenue functions affect the public directly as revenue from rates and facilities to the public. These include the provision of libraries and child other charges paid by the public is used to fund services and facilities care services, halls and community centres, recreation facilities, sports provided to benefit the community. fields, parks, local infrastructure, tree maintenance and the removal of waste. Administrative Functions Regulatory Functions Administrative functions do not necessarily affect the public directly but have an indirect impact on the community through the efficiency and Regulatory functions place restrictions on developments and buildings effectiveness of the service provided. to ensure that they meet certain requirements affecting the amenity of the community and do not endanger the lives and safety of any Enforcement Functions person. Members of the public must be aware of, and comply with, such regulations. Enforcement functions only affect those members of the public who are in breach of certain legislation. This includes matters such as the non- Ancillary Functions payment of rates and charges, unregistered dogs, parking offences and other regulatory offences.