4 May 2021
$15 million to boost businesses in local high streets
More than $15 million has been issued to 19 of our councils to undertake projects that will breathe new life into their local high streets and continue to create jobs as part of our Locally-Led economic recovery.
The NSW Government has announced successful recipients of its Your High Street grants, designed to help them deliver projects that will permanently transform high streets into more attractive, accessible and vibrant spaces.
Regional councils received $8.2 million, while Greater Sydney councils received $6.9 million for projects including improved street furniture with built-in USB ports, better traffic controls, streetscaping and public art to draw even more visitors and boost businesses.
Local high streets are experiencing a new lease of life as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and this funding will further bolster local business.
LGNSW hosts Employment Law Seminar
Almost 100 of our member councils’ human resources staff took part in our Employment Law Seminar last week.
Councils employ around 60,000 people, and that number is growing as the State and Federal COVID-19 stimulus packages LGNSW worked so hard to help secure begins to flow into our council bank accounts for infrastructure projects.
The online seminar addressed issues such as dealing with sexual harassment in a #metoo era, the do’s and don’ts of staff dismissals, balancing freedom of speech with what you can’t or shouldn’t say in the workplace and managing employer obligations in a post COVID world.
I congratulate all those who took part, our excellent presenters and the LGNSW team for hosting this helpful event.
Employment Law Seminar: Helen Carayannis and Richard Tait, H&R Workplace Strategies
Audit of emergency service response to inquiry recommendations raises concerns
No one is more appreciative of the outstanding leadership of our emergency services agencies than our councils and communities, especially following the response to the recent spate of natural disasters.
However, an audit into how effectively emergency services were adopting the recommendations coming out of the 17 bushfire, storm, flood and other natural disasters public inquiries over the last 10 years shows they are falling short, with only around one third of recommendations being addressed.
In our submissions to the NSW Independent and Royal Commission bushfire inquiries, LGNSW called for additional assistance from the Federal and State governments be provided to our councils to help them in effective natural disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
We also called for the NSW and Australian governments to place greater emphasis on supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation, which would reduce the severity of emergency responses.
Government funding will not only help implement adaption and mitigation actions but would also create employment opportunities at the local level.
We need greater leadership and accountability from emergency response agencies in addressing and implementing inquiry recommendations so that communities don’t continue to face the prospects of loss of life and property from future disasters.
LGNSW Human Resources Conference
And still on the theme of jobs: LGNSW will be hosting its premier human resource event on October 26 to 28, our LGNSW Human Resources Conference.
This year’s event will be held at Luna Park and will be an invaluable opportunity to hear the very latest on the rapidly changing HR landscape.
More information can be found on our website.
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