Policies

A consolidated document including all policies adopted by the Local Government Research and Development Scheme Advisory Committee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INCOME GENERATION FROM LGR&DS PROJECT OUTPUTS

COMMENCEMENT, PROGRESS REPORTING, COMPLETION and EVALUATION

APPLICATIONS SEEKING FUNDING FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

LOW COST PROVISION OF PUBLICATIONS TO TERTIARY STUDENTS

FUNDING APPLICATIONS FOR INCENTIVE PRIZES

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ECM75514

INCOME GENERATION FROM LGR&DS PROJECT OUTPUTS

Adopted: September 2003

Amended: March 2004

BACKGROUND

The Local Government Research & Development Scheme (LGR&DS) Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) has received queries regarding the commercial sale of LGR&DS project outputs.

In order to provide guidance and consistency in the handling of commercial sales of project outputs the Advisory Committee has adopted the following policy.

OBJECTIVE

The LGR&DS exists to support the development of Local Government in South Australia on a sector wide basis.

The objective of this policy is to provide guidance on the actions to be taken in those circumstances where project outputs such as guidelines, manuals, issues papers etc are of interest to parties other than South Australian Councils, and where such parties would be willing to pay a commercial fee to purchase project outputs.

The Advisory Committee would generally favour the commercial sale of project outputs to parties other than South Australian Councils in the interests of recouping some of the funding outlaid for a project, undertaking further work in a project area where income has been generated and/or enhancing the funding available for the Scheme.

POLICY GUIDELINES

1. Project proponents are encouraged to consider whether there is the potential to sell LGR&DS project outputs (eg Issue Papers, Manuals, Guidelines etc) to interested parties other than South Australian Councils for a commercial fee.

2.The LGR&DS Funding Agreement envisages that project proponents will contact the Executive Officer of the LGR&DS to discuss commercial sale arrangements for project outputs before such arrangements are finalised.

3.Where the LGR&DS is the sole source of funding for the project there is an expectation that,unless otherwise agreed, any net profits from the commercial sale of project outputs will be returned to the LGR&DS.

4.Where the LGR&DS is the sole source of funding for the project and the proponent applies to the Scheme to retain the profits from the sale of project outputs the Executive Director of the LGA is delegated the power to make a decision on behalf of the Advisory Committee up to a cap of $8,000 net profit where the proponent is a viable Local Government group that has the objective of promoting, developing and/or supporting Local Government activities.

5.Where there are two or more contributors of cash funding for the project there may be, in certain agreed circumstances, the potential for the net profits from the commercial sale of project outputs to be divided in proportion to the amounts of cash funding provided for the project. Unless otherwise agreed, there is an expectation that the LGR&DS proportion of the net profits will be returned to the LGR&DS.

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ECM75514

COMMENCEMENT, PROGRESS REPORTING, COMPLETION and EVALUATION

Adopted: April 2018

BACKGROUND

The LG R&DS (“the Scheme”) exists to support the development of local government in South Australia. Accordingly, the Scheme Advisory Committee has an expectation that projects approved for commencement should be undertaken, completed and evaluated, in a timely manner. Proponents who have received funding and find themselves unable to commence, continue or complete a project in a reasonable time frame should return unused funds to the Scheme so that the money can be reallocated to other projects.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this policy is to provide guidance and limits on project commencements, progress reporting, project completion and evaluation. In particular, this policy outlines actions to be taken when a project has either not commenced within a reasonable time frame or has stalled and is not capable of being completed within a reasonable timeframe.

PROJECT COMMENCEMENT

After the LGA Board has offered funding to a project proponent, there is an expectation that the proponent will respond to the offer within three months. If, after six months of receiving a funding offer, the offer has not been accepted, (signified by the proponent signing and returning the funding agreement) then the funding offer will lapse.

PROGRESS REPORTING

Any proponent whose project takes longer than six months to complete, is required to deliver to the Executive Officer one or more Progress Reports at intervals no less frequently than six-monthly. Each Progress Report is to describe progress since commencement (or since the previous Progress Report) and revising, where necessary, the proposed project completion date.

COMPLETION

Upon completion of the project, the proponent will supply a short Final Report and Evaluation. The Final Report and Evaluation must summarise how the project was undertaken, what was achieved, what outputs were produced, how the outcomes or outputs of the project were disseminated to Councils, and must evaluate the project. The evaluation must use performance measures that were described in the original project application. Evaluations should measure:

  • the effectiveness of the actions undertaken to achieve the project outcomes; and
  • the impact of the project outcomes on the Local Government sector.

DISCONTINUED OR PARTIALLY-COMPLETED PROJECTS

If a project cannot be completed; or cannot meet its original objectives, or if a proponent is more than three months late in delivering a Progress Report or Final Report and Evaluation, the Executive Officer may invite the proponent to either:

  • formally discontinue the project and return unspent funds to the Scheme; or.
  • seek the Advisory Committee’s approval to vary the application of this policy and/or the purposes for which the funds were provided.

The Executive Officer will report any such projects to the Advisory Committee with recommendations on what remedial action, if any, is required.

ADVICE TO PROPONENTS

The content of this policy must be communicated to project proponents to whom a funding offer is made.

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ECM75514

APPLICATIONS SEEKING FUNDING FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS

Adopted:December 1998

BACKGROUND

The Local Government Research & Development Scheme (LG R&DS) Advisory Committee (“the Advisory Committee”) has received applications for funding which have been directed at meeting the costs of staff training and development. In order to provide guidance and consistency in the assessment of applications seeking support of staff training, the Advisory Committee has adopted the following policy.

OBJECTIVE

The LGR&DS (“the Scheme”) exists to support the development of Local Government in South Australia on a sector wide basis. The Advisory Committee recognises that training and development is a key strategy in supporting the development of Local Government performance and is a core responsibility of Councils and agencies with a training and development focus.

The objective of this policy is to provide guidance on the circumstances where the Scheme may be used to augment the resources of Councils, professional organisations, Unions and training organisations in the delivery of training and development programs.

POLICY GUIDELINES

1.In general, the Scheme should not be used to replace or subsidise the normal core trainingresponsibilities of Councils or the core training activities of training providers.

2.Where Councils, or other training providers propose to trial or implement new training methodologies and/or training service delivery mechanisms the Committee mayconsider allocation of resources from the Scheme, subject to the following criteria:

  • The new initiative will be of sector wide application; and
  • the new initiative proposes to increase the quality, improve access or reduce the cost to Councils of training and development activities; and/or
  • the new initiative meets another identified purpose or objective of the Scheme.

3.The Committee maysupport the granting of applications to the Scheme for supporting training and development activities necessary to guaranteeeffective implementation of another funded R&DS project. However, in relation to these projects the Committee will assess the training component of the applications subject to:

  • The applicant identifying the scope and additional costs of the training implications of the R&DS project at the time of lodging the application of the original project. (The Committee may also invite applicants to consider training implications at the time of lodgement if it believes it is relevant to enable the applicant to seek additional funds for this purpose, if appropriate).
  • The applicant is able to justify why the training requirement and cost is over and above the normal expectations of Councils and training providers
  • The applicant identifies the approximate level of user contribution to the training and development activity (in cash or kind)

4. In the event that a project generates income, it is proposed that the excess income either be returned to the Local Government sector for use in pursuing further research, development and training activities, or the host organisation monitor the income and advise subsequently how the funds should be applied. (NOTE: this issue of income generation will be the subject of a separate detailed policy)

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ECM75514

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Adopted: April 1999

BACKGROUND

The Local Government Research and Development Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) has considered applications for funding which have been proposed either by individual councils or groups or bodies within Local Government. Accordingly, there has been an issue regarding potential or perceived conflicts of interest by Committee members.

In order to provide guidance and some certainty for the operations of the Advisory Committee the following policy has been adopted.

OBJECTIVE

The Local Government Research and Development Fund exists to support the development of local government in South Australia. The objective of this policy is to provide guidance on the circumstances where a potential or perceived conflict of interest may exist and how they should be treated.

POLICY GUIDELINES

  1. The composition of the Advisory Committee is drawn from the LGA, OLG, LGTA, Tertiary Institutions, Unions and CEO's representing rural and metropolitan councils through the Institute of Municipal Management(IMM).
  1. In the normal course of conducting its' business, the Advisory Committee will consider proposals in which members may have some involvement through membership of their host organisations.
  1. A member of the Advisory Committee will not be regarded as having an interest in a project before the Advisory Committee unless they are directly affected as proponent of, manager of, or major participant in, the project to be funded.
  1. When a matter affecting their organisation in one of these ways comes before the Advisory Committee, the member should declare an interest. In such a case the member may remain at or leave the meeting at their discretion but in any case must not take part in the decision. Disclosure of interest, presence at the meeting and non-participation in the decision will be formally recorded in the minutes.
  1. The Advisory Committee may invite proponents of projects to attend a meeting to elaborate on a proposal. Sufficient information should be available to the Committee for each proposal to be considered on its merits as part of the assessment process.

In the event that further information is required and the proponent is a member of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee may ask specific questions of the member.

In the event that further information is required and the proponent is not a member of the Advisory Committee the item should be deferred and further information sought by the Executive Officer. An invitation for the proponent to attend to answer questions may also be extended.

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ECM75514

LOWCOST PROVISION OF PUBLICATIONS TO TERTIARY STUDENTS

Adopted: October 2007

BACKGROUND

The LGA State Executive Committee at its meeting on 22 March 2007 passed a motion requesting:

“the LGA Secretariat to work with the LGR&DS to determine a policy for low cost or free provision of publications resulting from projects funded by the Scheme that are relevant for University/TAFE courses.”

In order to provide guidance and consistency in the handling of the provision of project outputs to tertiary students for use in their current course of study the Local Government Research & Development Scheme (LGR&DS) Advisory Committee has adopted the following policy.

OBJECTIVE

The LGR&DS exists to support the development of Local Government in South Australia on a sector wide basis.

The objective of this policy is to provide guidance on the actions to be taken in those circumstances where project outputs such as guidelines, manuals, issues papers etc are of interest to tertiary students for the course of study they are currently undertaking.

The Advisory Committee would generally favour the low cost or free provision of LGR&DS funded publications to tertiary students in the interests of providing accurate, current South Australian Local Government sector information to potential future employees or Council Members.

POLICY GUIDELINES

1. It is envisaged that the faculty of the tertiary institution will contact the Executive Officer of the LGR&DS to discuss the provision of LGR&DS funded publications to students undertaking a course of study that is relevant to the identified publication.

2.Where the LGR&DS funded project included the physical production of a printed manual, report, issues paper etc and where there are enough copies of this printed manual to meet the needs of the tertiary institution, the LGR&DS Executive Officer will liaise with the tertiary institution to cover the printing costs of the number of copies of the publication required for their students.

3.Where the LGR&DS funded publications are available on the LGA’s public website the tertiary institution is able to print off as many copies of the publication as they require.

4.Where the LGR&DS funded publications are available only on the LGA’s secure site the LGR&DS Executive Officer will liaise with the tertiary institution to enable access to a copy of the publication and to approve the photocopying of the number of copies required for students.

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DME 102178

FUNDING APPLICATIONS FOR INCENTIVE PRIZES

Adopted August 2013

BACKGROUND

The Local Government Research & Development Scheme (LGR&DS) Advisory Committee (“the Advisory Committee”) has received an application for funding to meet the cost of providing incentive prizes to entice Council staff to complete a feedback survey. In order to provide guidance and consistency in the assessment of applications seeking funding support for incentive prizes, the Advisory Committee has adopted the following policy.

OBJECTIVE

The LGR&DS (“the Scheme”) exists to support the development of Local Government in South Australia on a sector wide basis. The Advisory Committee recognises that consultation with stakeholders is always required as part of the process of undertaking projects and that it can sometimes be difficult to obtain the detailed level of feedback required for particular projects.

The objective of this policy is to provide guidance on the circumstances where the LGR&DS funding may be used to cover the cost of incentive prizes.

POLICY GUIDELINES

1.In general the Advisory Committee would expect that stakeholders would be happy to provide feedback on project outputs without the provision of incentive prizes as it is in their own interests to ensure that best practice guidance aids are produced by projects

  1. The circumstances where the Advisory Committee could approve funding for incentive prizes could include situations where consultation on a project output requires stakeholders to:
  2. comment on a large amount of information (eg 100 pages or more)
  3. provide very detailed feedback (eg complex questions and/or surveys of 3 pages or more)
  4. respond quickly due to project time constraints (eg timing of related legislation and/or timing of other events relevant to the project)
  5. undertake community consultation.
  1. The general amount that would be considered as appropriate for incentive prizes by the Advisory Committee would be approximately $50.
  2. All requests for funding for incentive prizes are required to be emailed to all Advisory Committee members by the Executive Officer for their comment. The Executive Officer to accept the majority view of the Advisory Committee as approval or disapproval of the request.

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DME 102178