FinPro Member Update September 2020 ( Edition 1 )

October 19, 2020

President’s Message

Morning all,

Hope you have had a good week and enjoyed the start to spring!!!

Many of you will be flat out with the finalization of Audit, and many getting prepared for the last Council Meeting of this Council term – doesn’t four years just fly!!

Today we are running our next instalment of our Lunch and Learn series, but in a change of pace, through our smaller regional groups. We hope you enjoy the concept of this where the groups are much smaller, so easier to ask questions and share ideas, and just a great way to see some of your favorite peers!

And then we will wait for Dan’s announcements on Sunday and see what is around the corner for us. Waiting for Sunday is nearly as hard as waiting for Santa and seeing if you have been on the naughty or nice list!

Happy Father’s Day on Sunday to all the dads out there!

Bradley

 

Membership News

We welcome Darren Warwick to the FinPro Membership. He has recently commenced at
Wellington Shire Council as Management Accountant.

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

 

FinPro Technical Committee News / Updates

Proposed LG (Governance and Integrity) Regulations 2020

The proposed Local Government (Governance and Integrity) Regulations 2020 have now been published on EngageVic for consultation with the sector.

https://engage.vic.gov.au/local-government-act-2020/consult-governance-and-integrityregulations

Consultation will close 11 September 2020.

 

Updated Status of Rating Valuation Objection Portal

Many members would most likely know that DELWP have been working on a Rating Valuation Objection Portal over past months. The aim of the portal is to facilitate ratepayers being able to lodge objections directly with the Authority without having to go through council. This Portal was to have been completed prior to council’s issuing rate notices for the 2020/21 year.

Advice has been received from DELWP that they are currently finalising development of the portal and seeking final sign off from DELWP senior executive and government communications. The portal release date has been pushed back to mid-September from the previously advised end of August.

 

Implementing the changes to the Accounting Standards

FinPro has 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

We have now finalised our survey of all Victorian Councils and their budgets for 2020/21. The final budgets were adopted earlier this week. The final document includes both the basic rate changes as well as measures taken within the budget to assist communities to cope with the effects of COVID-19. Thank-you to every council for contributing to this survey.

We have also prepared a report that should be read alongside the survey results. The report was distributed to all CEO’s, the Minister Local Government and key stakeholders, as well as all FinPro members in late August 2020. This report was well received by the sector.

 

FinPro Professional Development

A reminder that we will be holding regional networking sessions today (4.9.20). These are a great opportunity to catch-up with your peers from other councils and see what they have been up to. Thanks to our 6 members who have volunteered to chair these sessions.

Details are: All meetings will be on Friday 4 September 2020 from 12.30 – 1.15pm

South West Region – hosted by John Brockway, Surf Coast Shire
https://zoom.us/j/3810330381 Meeting ID: 381 033 0381

Northern Metro Regional – hosted by Tania O’Reilly, Banyule City Council
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

Western Regional – hosted by Chen Wei, Wyndham City Council
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Conference ID: 253 564 270#

South East Region – hosted by Kim Jaensch
https://frankstoncitycouncil.zoom.us/j/93151251653?pwd=b3lZdmN2dk42UUMzOUZvZmdnQXlVUT09 Meeting ID: 931 5125 153 Passcode: 162483

North Central Regional – hosted by Nathan Morsillo, Greater Bendigo City Council
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83546364796 Meeting ID; 835 4363 4796

Metro Regional – hosted by Mark Montague, Yarra City Council
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

Recordings of our recent sessions are available online:

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

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

 

Future topics for our Lunch and Learn Sessions include a panel session looking at the 2020/21 Budget process, an Economic Update and something to make us laugh!

If you have any ideas for Professional Development topics you would like included on our program please contact Gab

 

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:

 

 

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

 

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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