FinPro Member Update August 2020 (Edition 1)

August 31, 2020

President’s Message

Good afternoon,

What a week!

  • New restrictions are being applied to everyone in the state, whether you are from Metro or Regional Victoria, you will be affected!
  • Everyone now needs to wear a mask when they are outside their home
  • Councils are preparing or finalising their annual accounts
  • Some councils are still waiting to adopt their budgets
  • Auditors are auditing!
  • Metro Councils are busily identifying which roles within their operations are permitted and then preparing Permitted Worker Permits
  • Preparing responses to the information request made by the Victorian Ombudsman investigating council responses to ratepayers in financial hardship
  • Councils are gearing up for LG Elections in October, and
  • All students are now studying from home and families continue the juggle of working and online schooling and childcare and parent care all wrapped up in one!

And this is just a small portion of what’s happening!

I hope that you can find some relief from the daily grind at the moment, whether it be a simple walk in the park, meditation, watching the football, listening to your favourite podcast, sitting down to a lovely meal, reading a good book…. Whatever it is that you enjoy, please, take the time to do it!

Take care everyone,

Bradley

 

Membership News

We welcome a number of new members this week:

  • Megan Kiefer, Graduate Accountant at Moreland City Council
  • Renee Rainbow, Client Partnership Manager at Vision Super
  • Rebecca De Silva, Coordinator Financial Planning and Performance at Cardinia Shire
  • Warren Brown, Acting Manager Finance, Moreland City Council
  • Colleen McNeil, Management Accountant, Baw Baw Shire

If you have any news to share with the FinPro membership please forward this to Gab.

 

FinPro Professional Development

Two sessions in less than a week! A big jump on our Professional Development Program of late!

Thanks to everyone who took part in these sessions, and my apologies to those who missed out on today’s Q&A.

Recordings of both sessions are available now: Enjoy!

LUNCH AND LEARN – Setting a New Work Mindset – 31 July 2020 WATCH NOW

FinPro Q&A – Technical discussion – 6 August 2020 WATCH NOW

The main discussion was around preparation of annual accounts – some of the specific areas covered during the session were:

  • Discussion around COVID-19 note disclosure
  • Revenue standards changes
  • AASB 15 / 1058 treatment of income
  • Note 5.8
  • Key Management Personal and SEO Remuneration
  • Accounting relating to the implications of level-crossing removals
  • Accounting for grants
  • Recognition of volunteer (labour) Contributions
  • Asset Valuations prepared pre-COVID

 

FinPro Technical Committee News / Updates

General Information

The LGV website provides a host of information: LGV – COVID19 Information

The FinPro Website provides a host of information: FinPro Resource Library

 

Local Government Act 2020 Implementation Update

Integrated Strategic Planning

One of the next big steps in the implementation of the Local Government Act 2020 looks at the integrated approach to planning, monitoring and reporting. The Act requires councils to develop an integrated planning framework (see Part 4 – Planning and financial management of the Act). This framework includes the development of a Community Vision, Council Plan, Four-year budget, Financial Plan, Revenue and Rating Plan, Asset
Management Plan, Workforce Plan and Annual Report.

Integrated Strategic Planning and Reporting Workshops (August 2020): these are small working groups drawn from registrations from across the sector that will help in the larger codesign process. These workshops will take place in August. If you have already registered you will have received advice on how to arrange your first session. LGV will take additional registrations until Monday 10 August at 4.00pm so I would encourage you to get
involved. We have representation from 47 councils (27 Metro; 6 Regional Cities, 14 Rural). We are also encouraging input from individuals, consultants, councillors or any member of the public. They can provide input through EngageVic.

Demystifying Deliberative Engagement and the new Victorian Local Government Act 2020 – Two Part webinar series by IAP2

IAP2 are hosting a two-part webinar series on deliberative engagement targeted at Local Government employees. These online Q&A-style conversations will include practical information about deliberative engagement and how to adapt your approach to engagement to satisfy the new Victorian Local Government Act 2020.

The panels will share their insights on:

  • What is deliberation?
  • What makes deliberative engagement different from engagement?
  • Deliberative engagement in the context of the Victorian Local Government Act
  • How to achieve deliberative engagement with lower budgets
  • Building capacity for deliberative engagement in councils
  • Insights from the field
  • Key tips from the thought leaders/experts
  • How to correctly align engagement with IAP2 principles (theIAP2 Spectrum and IAP2 Core Values)
  • Where to find out more

You can find out more about this series and registration requirements here

Implementing the changes to the Accounting Standards

Recent survey results (from the FinPro survey on Professional development) showed that 62% of respondents were concerned about implementing all the changes required for the new accounting standards.

Taking this onboard, we have developed some guidance to assist members. This information is provided following consultation with both LGV and VAGO and is included on our website.

2020/21 Council Budget Parameters and Budget Adoption Timelines

A reminder that FinPro are providing an up-to-date picture across the state of the progress of adoption of Council Budgets for 2020/21, along with measures taken within the budget to assist communities to cope with the affects of COVID-19. As Council’s adopt their budgets, please provide the updated information to gab so that she can update the survey accordingly.

 

Job Vacancies

FinPro is happy to place advertisements on our website for any finance related positions our members councils are advertising. Please send the following details through to Gab

The following position is currently being advertised:

  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Yarra Ranges Council
  • For a candidate pack or to apply for this role please visit https://www.seek.com.au/job/50313887or contact Charlie Cole on
    [email protected]
  • Applications close on Wednesday 12th August 2020 and will be treated with absolute confidence.

 

 

FinPro Executive Members

President – Bradley Thomas (Hepburn Shire Council)

Executive Officer – Gab Gordon

Vice-President: Chair Technical Committee – Tony Rocca (Maroondah City Council)

Technical Committee members:

    • Danny Wain (Monash City Council)
    • Kristy Stephens (Bass Coast Shire)
    • Liz Rowland (Western Water)
    • Mark Montague (Yarra City Council)
    • Nathan Morsillo (Greater Bendigo City Council)
    • Vishantri Perera (Yarra Ranges Shire Council)

Vice-President: Chair Professional Development committee – Binda Gokhale (Wyndham CC)

Professional Development Committee members:

    • Belinda Johnson (Southern Grampians Shire)
    • Charles Nganga (Casey City Council)
    • John Brockway (Surf Coast Shire) – also leads the FinPro Mentoring Program
    • Kim Jaensch (Frankston City Council) – also leads the FinPro Leadership Program

 

Thank-you to our 2019 Conference sponsors

We look forward to seeing you back at our next annual conference from 20 – 22 October 2021 at RACV Cape Schanck

 

To Contact FinPro:

Gabrielle Gordon – Executive Officer – FinPro
M: 0400 114 015
E: [email protected]
W: www.finpro.org.au

 

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