Where are we now?

Councils need to be aware of the legislative provisions for accountability during implementation of the corporate plan through the operational plan.

The LGA provides for regular reviews and reporting, while the LGFS specifies how the operational plan is linked to the corporate plan.

A local government must make assessments of its progress towards implementing it corporate and operational plans - LGA Section 512 (1). Under Section 512 (2) the Chief Executive Officer is required to present a written report on the assessments to council meetings at intervals of not more than three months.

Section 31 of the LGFS 2005 requires that an operational plan includes a statement of the outcomes and strategies from the corporate plan, proposed outputs and activities for the financial year, and the performance measures adopted by council for delivery of the proposed outputs.

The LGA and LGFS are not specific about the format or level of detail required in quarterly reports and the practice across councils varies widely. The interpretation in these Guidelines is that quarterly reporting applies in relation to the operational plan rather than the corporate plan. Measurement of corporate plan outcomes is conducted annually.

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