Member Update November 2020 (Edition 1)

November 16, 2020

FinPro Member Update November 2020

President’s Message

Good afternoon to all our members.

As expected, the Premier announced last Sunday the removal of the “Ring of Steel” which means that Melbournians can once again travel to Regional Victoria.

As this Member Update goes out on a Monday (for a change), we hope that you all managed to get out and enjoy the wonderful weekend weather and catch up with family and friends!!!

Cheers, Bradley

 

Bradley Thomas – FinPro President

Director Community and Corporate Services – Hepburn Shire   

 

Membership News

With Council’s updating and renewing their membership for the coming year, we are very pleased and appreciative of the 69 Councils and 3 libraries that have renewed their membership for 2020/21.

We are appreciative too of the organisations who have partnered with us this year as part of our Corporate Partnership Program.

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

Membership Renewal information available here

Corporate Partnership information available here

 

FinPro Technical Committee News / Updates

Local Government Act Implementation

The FinPro Local Government Act 2020 Working Group is meeting for the third time today.

The Working Group has been working closely with LGV, to best establish how the Working Group can assist LGV in guidance and more specifically items such as:

  • Budget Document – Hannah White from Hepburn is the project lead for this working group.
  • Long Term Financial Plan – Malcolm Lewis is the project lead for this working group.
  • Rating and Revenue Plan – John Brockway from Surf Coast Shire is the project lead for this working group.

All of this will be considered in context of the Integrated Strategic Planning & Reporting Framework view, the new Act requirements and the recently gazetted regulations which came into operation on the 24 October 2020.

Reminder to go to https://engage.vic.gov.au/local-government-act-2020  for all LG Act information

 

Update from Local Government Victoria

The following information was distributed to all councils by LGV recently and is included here for your information:

__________________________________________________

Dear Chief Executive Officer

The Minister for Local Government is required to annually review the current amounts, limits and ranges of mayoral and councillor allowances to determine whether an ‘adjustment factor’ should be applied.

The Minister has conducted this review under section 73B of the Local Government Act 1989 and determined that, this year, no adjustment to allowances will be made in respect of all councils.

The Minister had regard to the Victorian Premier’s recent decision determining a zero per cent adjustment to Victorian Public Service executive remuneration for the 2020-21 financial year.

Councils will therefore continue to pay mayors and councillors the same allowance amounts that applied prior to the current general elections.

If you require further information, please contact Tim Presnell, Manager Governance and Integrity on 0430 247 472 or at [email protected]

Yours sincerely

Colin Morrison

Acting Executive Director

Local Government Victoria

Date: 27/10.20

Payment Times Reporting Scheme (the PTRS)

We are aware that a number of ‘larger’ councils received a letter earlier this week in relation to Reporting under the Payment Times Reporting Scheme.

The FinPro Executive are met on Friday 13 November 2020) and had an initial discussion on the letter.  We will review it in greater detail and keep members posted on any relevant information.

 

FinPro Professional development

Copies of past recordings and presentations are available on our website.

Information included:

  • FinPro Mini-Conference 2020 (21 and 22 October 2020)
  • Councillor onboarding (1 October 2020)

We will also be running a Budget session in early December and have decided to defer our AGM to February, in the hope that we will be actually able to hold some kind on ‘in person’ event, even if it is across a number of regional locations.

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

 

Other Learning and connecting opportunities

CPA Virtual Congress – 10 – 12 November 2020

DETAILS HERE

CPA Congress is going virtual and we’re tackling change in the accounting and finance industry head on, with engaging content, practical case stories and updates on emerging trends and innovations.

Not just another webinar or online workshop, Virtual Congress 2020 is a fully immersive online experience. Tickets to Virtual Congress are at the low price of $250 AUD including GST for members, and $350 AUD including GST for non-members. Organisations registering 30 or more staff together will have access to a further 10% discount on the member and non-member rate.

MEMBER PRICE                      |            NON-MEMBER PRICE

$250 AUD INCL. GST              |           $350 AUD INCL. GST

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) – leads the FinPro Leadership Program

 

We thank our 2020 Corporate Partners

  • Commonwealth Bank
  • CT Management
  • MAGIQ Software
  • LG Solutions

 

Corporate Partnership is available to all businesses and is an opportunity to support FinPro, our members and the sector as we journey through COVID and are unable to provide face-to-face Professional Development and live sponsorship opportunities.

For further information please contact Gabrielle Gordon – details as listed below.

 

To Contact FinPro:

Gabrielle Gordon – Executive Officer

M:  0400 114 015

E:  [email protected]            

W:  www.finpro.org.au

 

To view the full Member Update