Finpro, Local Government Accounting, Local Government Victoria

Registration form for the 2012 FinPro Conference now available.

  Download Pdf  File size:0.21 Mb 

Registrations Now Open for the 2012 FinPro Conference

The Local Government Finance Professionals Conference will once again be held this year at the picturesque Novotel Forest Resort Creswick from 29 February to 2 March 2012.

The theme for this years Conference is 'Sync or Swim' and will provide an opportunity for you to not only share your insights, skills and knowledge but also to identify and resolve current issues within the Local Government finance sector around the usage of technology.

This years program once again includes inspirational key note addresses and industry case studies.  From start to finish, the Conference promises to be a stimulating and highly engaging event that should not be missed. 

A copy of the full conference program is attached and bookings are now open.

Please book early to reserve your place for the Finance Conference of the year.

  Download Pdf  File size:1.16 Mb 

The FinPro Vision Super Scholarship for 2012 was launched on Friday 2 December 2011 by the David Moxon, Fund Development Manager, Vision Super.

Also on hand to speak in support of the Scholarship was Dean Miller who was the first recipient of the FinPro Vision Super Scholarship in 2004. Dean congratulated FinPro and Vision Super on a great program. Dean has now gone onto bigger and better things, holding the role of Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Hindmarsh in Western Victoria.  

If you are a member of both FinPro and Vision Super you are invited to apply for a scholarship to participate in an exclusive, all expenses paid, 2 1/2 day residential course, to be held from 1.00pm Sunday 27th May to 5.00pm Tuesday 29th May 2012.

The course, titled Practical Financial Management Leadership Skills, will give up to 10 scholarship winners the opportunity to enhance their leadership and management capabilities. The course content is aimed at preparing people for a leadership role in Local Government Finance. They will get to work with Industry leaders to gain knowledge and practical experience in a range of topics that includes:

• Best Practice in Local Government Financial Management
• Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Strategic Financial Planning
• Human Resource Management
• Local Government Law

All interested and eligible members are invited to apply for the scholarship by completing the attached application form. The application must be completed in full. Applications close at 5.00pm on Friday 10th February 2012 and must be sent to the FinPro Secretary, Gabrielle Gordon either electronically to gabrielle@finpro.org.au or by mail to: 21 Albert Street, Mornington 3931.

For any enquiries about the Scholarship please contact Gabrielle Gordon, Secretary FinPro on 03 5973 4685, 0400 114 015 or via email at: gabrielle@finpro.org.au

  Download Pdf  File size:0.52 Mb 

Over 200 delegates attended the FinPro seminar on the 13th October 2011.  Held at The Centre Ivanhoe, delegates heard from a wide range of speakers, commencing with the CEO of Whitehorse City Council, Noelene Duff giving a a fantastic insight into her career in Local Government. 

The day then move to more technical topcis including the Impact of the Carbon Tax on Local Government, Salary Packaing and Fraud. Noel Irwin spoke about introducing risk assessment into the tendering process.  Noel is the Unit Manager Procurmenet at Moreland City Council and would welcome any questions delegates have on his presentation. 

Ann Leadbeater gave an insightful first hand presentation on ''Coping with the Unexpected - The aftermath of Black Saturday''.  Delegates took in every word of this presentation and certainly saw very clearly the importance of the way such disasters need to be handled within our communities.

Copies of the papers delivered by presenters on the day are included below:

National Carbon Tax - How does it affect Local Government - Presented by Jan Fitzgerald, senior Consultant, Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsility - Download PDF

Salary Packing - presented by Elizabeth Lucas, Associate Director, Grant Thornton - Download PDF

VAGO Report - presented by Ron Mak - Download PDF

Amendments to Division 81 Update - presented by Paul Rozario, Governance & Legislative Advisor, MAV - Handout 1, Handout 2, Handout 3

Fraud in Local Government - Presented by Martin Thomspon, Princial Audit & Assurance Services, Crowe Horwath - Download PDF

A very special thank-you to all the speakers at this event who so generously gave of their time and expertise to make the day such a success.

The FinPro 2011 Conference was held at the Novotel Forest Resort from the 2 - 4 March this year.  Attended by over 180 delegates, the conference covered many of the key topics relevant to Finance Professional in Local Government.  The program was as follows:

1. Opening Key Note Address - Presented by Jude Munro AO, Chairperson Queensland Urban Utilities and Former CEO Brisbane City Council.
2. Procurement Excellence Program Interim Report - Challenges and Opportunities - Presented by Chris Newman Manager Councils Reforming Business, DPCD
3. Model Accounts 2011/12 - Presented by Marc Giglio Model Accounts Taskforce and Finance Manager, Whitehorse CC
4. Economic Outlook - Presented by Terry McCrann
5. Unfunded Liability Update - Presented by Paul Curtin, General Manager Finance and Compliance, Vision Super.
6. Major sponsors Presentation - Presented by Wayne Zwar for the Commonwealth Bank
7. Shaping Up! - Presented by Craig Harper 
8. Contact and Procurement Management - Presented by Mick Ross, Manager Strategic Procurement, Monash City Council.
9. Local Gov2.0: Transforming local government with Social Media and Web2.0  - Presented by Fergal Coleman, principal consultant at Symphony3. 
10. Business Excellence in a Local Government Environment - Presented by Phil Pearce CEO Greater Shepparton City Council. 
11. Financial and Performance Management Reporting - Presented by a panel of experienced practitioners and users  Cr Michael Tudball, Moorabool Shire Council, Rob Small, CEO Colac Otway Shire Council, Angelica Marshall, Finance Manager, Knox City Council and Danny Wain, Manager, Finance Services, Monash City Council.
12. Creating an Even Stronger Performance Culture  RADAR Change Management Project  - Presented by Marianne Di Giallonardo, Director of Corporate Services in Maroondah City Council.
13. Model Budget 2011/12 - Presented by Bruce Dobson, Chairperson ICAA Model Budget Taskforce
14. KPIs in the UK  the WOMBATtheory (Waste of Money, Brains and Time !)  - Presented by Paul Squires, CEO Lake Mountain Resort
15. Leadership at the bottom of the Earth - where no one hears you scream - Presentation by Rachael Robertson, Antarctic Expedition Leader

FinPro would like to acknowledge and thank the following sponsors for making the 2011 FinPro Conference such a wonderful success:

1. Major Sponsor - Comonwealth Bank
2. Gold Sponsor - Technology One
3. Gold Sponsor - ING Direct
4. Silver Sponsor - Chameleon Technology
5. Silver Sponsor - IMB Limited
6. Silver Sponsor - CPA Australia
7. Silver Sponsor - BankWest
8. Silver Sponsor - Civica Pty Limited
9. Silver Sponsor - FIIG Securities
10. Silver Sponsor - Open Windows
11. SIlver Sponsor - APV Valuers and Asset Management
12. Lunch Sponsor - Bank of Cyprus
13. Happy Hour Sponsor - CPG Research & Advisory

The 2012 FinPro Conference will be held at The Novotel Forest Resort from 29 February - 2 March 2011.

At the 2011 FinPro Annual Conference, held from the 2 - 4 March this year, David Moxon, Fund Development Manager, Vision Super announced the 10 winners of the Scholarship program for 1011.       

The winners were:

1. Mathew Rogers, Latrobe City Council
2. Jo Harris, Cardinia Shire Council
3. Ailsa Box, wangaratta Rural City Council
4. Stefania Sordini - Port Phillip City Council
5. Upul Sathurusinghe - City of Whittlesea
6. Bradley Thomas - City of Greater Bendigo
7. Craig Ralston - Moyne Shire Council
8. Gabby Spiller - Golden Plains Shire Council
9. Francesca Montirosso - Darebin City Council
10. Tammi Rose - Greater Shepparton City Council

Congratulations to all of you.

The scholarship program, Practical Financial Management Leadership Skills, will be run at The Bentinck of Wodend from Sunday 29 May to Tuesday 31 May 2011.  Esteemed speakers and industry experts will present to the group over the 3 days.

Many thanks goes to Vision Super who have partnered FinPro in this scholarship program for the past 7 years.

?

At the 2011 FinPro Conference, held in March this year, Bruce Dobson, ICAA Local Government Taskforce chairman, announced the release of the ninth edition of the Victorian City Council Model Budget Guide for the 2011/12 financial year.
 
The ninth edition of the Guide builds on previous editions in improving the usefulness of the budget to financial users.  It has also continued to address practical matters affecting preparers which have been communicated through surveys and other feedback mechanisms.
 
The key changes made to the Guide this year include the following:

1.  Greater focus on working capital as a key financial measure 

2.  Revised presentation of the Alternative Format Budgeted Income Statement

3.  Enhanced alignment between the disclosures and terminology in the Model Budget Statements and the Local Government Model Accounts

4.  Updated commentary on the Essential Services Commission work on performance measures and linkage of this work with the Key Strategic Activities included in the Model Budget

5.  Updated description of topical issues influencing Council budgets for the coming year 

6.  Improved presentation of information in the Chief Executive Officer's summary including a new chart showing how rates are allocated across major expenditure types.
 
 
As highlighted at the FinPro Conference last week, the updated Model Budget guide 2011/2012 is available for download.

 
The documents included here and on the website include:

The full Model Budget Guide inclusive of introductions and commentary (PDF format) 

A Word and Excel format budget template (not including commentary)

A summary of key changes made to the Model Budget Guide this year

The Model Budget Guide will also be included on the Institute of Chartered Accountants website shortly. 

A web-link will be sent to FinPro members once the documents are published.

Below are the documents listed above and their associated links:

Model Budget template (word document)

Model budget templete (excel document)

Full Model Budget Guide (pdf format)

Summary of Changes document

  Download Pdf  File size:0.09 Mb