19/5/00
Local governments around the State set new standards in their budget presentations in 1999-2000, according to Local Government Minister Paul Omodei.
The Minister said the annual review of budgets carried out by the Department of Local Government had revealed a significant improvement, with 83.5 per cent of budgets reaching the minimum standard of 81 per cent.
In the previous year, only 57 per cent of budgets reached that standard.
Mr Omodei said that when he introduced the awards to encourage better performance in 1995-96, the minimum standard was set at 65 per cent and was achieved by only 27 per cent of the budgets assessed.
Council budgets are assessed by the department for their level of compliance with legislative requirements, their general presentation, and their provision of information to the reader.
This year, 11 local governments won certificates of excellence for achieving scores above 94 per cent, compared with five last year.
A further 20, the same as last year, were awarded certificates of merit for scores above 91 per cent.
The Shire of Ashburton and the Town of Victoria Park won certificates of excellence for the second consecutive year, with Ashburton gaining the top score after being second last year.
In order of performance, the certificates of excellence were awarded to the Shire of Ashburton, the City of Armadale, the City of Bayswater, the Town of Victoria Park, the Shire of Cranbrook, the Shire of Gingin, the City of Melville, the Shire of Broome, the Shire of Koorda, the Shire of Kellerberrin and the City of Canning.
Certificates of merit were won by the Shires of Boyup Brook, Manjimup, Exmouth, Wongan-Ballidu, Donnybrook-Balingup, Capel, Irwin, Denmark, Coorow, Leonora and Mullewa, the Towns of Cambridge, Kwinana, Mosman Park and Narrogin, and the Cities of Belmont, Nedlands, Swan and South Perth, and the East Metropolitan Regional Council.
Among the big improvers in this year’s assessments were Capel, up 116 places, Broome, up 104, and Nedlands, up 98 places.
Media contact: Hugh Ryan 9213 6700
