AMALGAMATION ISSUES – ACTION CHECKLIST
ISSUE
ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
1. ADMINISTRATION
(a) Policy Manual to be created
(b) Power of Attorney
(c) Delegations
(d) Council meeting procedures
(e) Set date of first meeting new Council (Administrator) and
setting of governance structure
(f) Creation of one business paper.
Electronic business papers to web for community
(g) Code of Conduct
(h) Purchasing Manual
(i) Auditors: Council A – [insert name of auditor]
Council B – [insert name of auditor]
(j) Legal Solicitors: Council A– [insert name of solicitor]
Council B– [insert name of solicitor]
(k) Bankers: Council A– [insert name of bank].
Council B - [insert name of bank]
(l) Mayoral Boards, Chains, Cloaks, Pictures, Gifts (old and new
Council)
(m) Minute Books (Record System)
(n) Minute Books - condition of binding, microfiche etc
(o) Set interim staff structure
(p) Change Management Team of senior people
(q) Letters to Community Groups re delegates
(r) Insurance Policies:
Council A– [insert name of insurance company]
Council B– [insert name of insurance company]
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Combine Manuals
(a) Report to Council
(b) NSW Land and Property
Information (LPI) approval
Combine Manuals
Adopt Council A or Council B
procedures or develop new
procedures
Meetings set for Policy (XX/XX/XX)
& Ordinary (XX/XX/XX)
Adopt Council A or Council B or
develop new Code.
Liaison re system
Liaison re system
Amalgamate Accounts
New accounts issued
To be approved by Interim
Council/Administrator (if relevant)
Council A & Council B senior staff
Council A & Council B senior staff
Notify [insert name(s) of insurance
company(ies)]
Put in place new policies by
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ISSUE
ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
XX/XX/XX
(s) Create new Seal for Council
(t) In house telephone directory
and list of mobiles
(u) Disclosure of Interests Return where relevant (if
Administrator appointed)
(v) Sign(s) over front door of administration centres of Councils
A&B
(w) Offices at Council A and Council B assess operations
(x) Collect keys from staff/volunteers that no longer need them
(y) Change security access codes as required
(z) Local Government NSW membership
Disclosure of interests return to be
submitted by Administrator (if
appointed) within 21 days
(details/requirements will be
specified in proclamation)
Sign(s) to be altered to???[insert
name of new council]
Transferred to one membership
(aa) List all licences held by Council A and Council B e.g. EPA,
Water, Motor Vehicle Repairs, Telecommunications etc.
2. RECORDS/LEGAL DOCS.
(a) Physical files at each council
Assess protocols, decide location,
handling etc
(b) IT Integration is issue
(c) Documentation management and protocols to be developed
(d) Council A – Records management platform (e.g. Trim);
Council B – Records management platform
3. RISK MANAGEMENT
(a) Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) & Work Health &
Safety (WH&S) systems integrated
(b) Risk Analysis
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Need to go to one platform
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ISSUE
ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
(d) Risk Audits (Insurances)
(e) Create WH&S Committee
(i) Combine Committees (first meeting XX/XX/XX)
(ii) new Committee by XX/XX/XX
4. RELOCATING STAFF
(a) [Insert name of CC if relevant] County Council Operations
(b) Assess any needs for new organisation
5. HUMAN RESOURCES
(a) Organisational Change seminars
(b) EAP Assistance
(c) Staff orientation Day
(d) Existing employment conditions need to be understood/listed
(e) Alignment of pay periods (weekly, fortnightly etc) – Council
A & Council B
(f) Contestable positions – Council A & Council B
Lateral Transfers staff positions – Council A & Council B
(g) Leaseback Agreements/standards
(h) Staff training where new/altered computer packages etc are
introduced
(i) Develop Salary System/Conditions new Council.
(j) Review salary systems
(k) New Consult Committee
(l) Fuel cards
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By newsletter etc
- Seminar if needed
- Managers to collate list for areas
[Identify/list affected (contestable)
positions]
Roll out agreed computer
systems/programs (e.g. TRIM, Lotus
Notes, etc)
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ACTION
OFFICER
ISSUE
(m) Corporate Uniforms
- indoor
- outdoor
(n) Staff Welcome
ACTION
(a) Set up - Team to discuss;
nominations called for;
(b) Decision on uniforms and
funding XX/XX/XX
(c) Colour – meetings field staff to be
held
(d) Tax clearance
Continual meetings
6. PUBLIC RELATIONS
(a) Mission Statement
(b) Letterhead New Council
(c) Weekly Advertising – local radio, newspapers etc
(d) Letter style protocol
(e) New letterhead styles
(f) Insert for rate notice
(g) Web site (create new site and link old sites to new)
Supply initial stock
(a) old sites close off
(b) create new joint web site
(c) creation staff position for web
maintenance
(h) Fortnightly Newsletters – Post amalgamation community
7. DEPOT
PLANT:
(a) Plant Levels: Running rates Council A and Council B
Numbers held to see if excess
(b) Bushfire Equipment
(c) Plant Replacement Program
(d) Auction excess equipment
(e) Motor Vehicle Repairers Licence
8. PLANNING:
(a) LEP for new area
(b) Interim LEP to be put in place (DCP’s etc)
(c) Fire Risk Areas
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Go to one Contract
To develop
To sign-off
Licence No.
Issued to [insert names], renew.
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ISSUE
(d) State of the Environment Report
(e) Social/Community & Cultural Plan
(f) Arrangements with NSW Infringement Processing Bureau
(g) Service levels (Map needed)
(h) Food Inspections Policy
ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
Licence Registration Numbers to be
transferred
Inspect twice per annum
9. FINANCIAL:
(a) Approval Bank Overdraft
(b) Cheque signatories
(c) Rating matters - consistency/classifications
(d) Debt Collection Process – (Council A uses XXX, Council B
uses XXX)
(e) Audit of Council A Statements
Audit of Council B Statements
(f) Land Valuation Dates Council A vs Council B not in sync
(g) Accounting Standards
(h) GST/FBT compliance
(i) Standardising Ledger
(j) Statements Financial - how many – 2 sets
(k) Combining 2016/17 - Budgets/Management Plan KPI’s:
(l) Management Plan Public Display Periods
– Council A
Report to Council
Organise Auditors
Review significant accounting
policies
2 sets to be raised
Council A XXX meeting
Council B XXX meeting
Close XX/XX/XX Report to Council
Close XX/XX/XX Report to Council
- Council B
(m) ATO Numbers
- Payroll provider (Group Tax)
Application raised to ATO for
Number
(n) GST Number to be reissued
GST Ruling re operations former Council A & Council B
Application raised to get Ruling from
ATO
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BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ISSUE
ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
(o) Payroll Tax Numbers
(p) List of contracts each Council has in place
(q) Properties split by amalgamation to be determined
(r) Rating matters approval from Office of Local Government
(OLG) to interim CFOC rating structure required
(s) Rating structure to 2016/17 to be determined
Then future structure to be determined
(t) Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Endorsement local/regional galleries, museums etc
Letters to be sent to affected owners
if applicable
(a) Letter to OLG requesting
determination
(b) Response from OLG approval
1. Collate list of existing DGR’s
2. Get new approvals from ATO
10. ENGINEERING:
(a) Plan documents - digitising & microfiche
(b) Single Invitation CTT’s, Council A & Council B (separate
RMS contracts)
(c) City signage, Welcome to Council A, Council B signage,
reflect new Council logo and possibly relocation signs
(d) Council A & Council B signage welcoming to town
11. SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS:
(a) Service level standards to be set and how currently
maintained
(b) Customer Request Management Systems (CRMS) to be
reviewed for levels of service (LOS)
(c) Waste
(d) Parks/Reserves/Sporting fields
(e) Community buildings
(f) Water/Sewer
12. OTHER ISSUES:
(a) Staff positions and transfer to what?
(b) Need position description & $ (salary system)
(c) Waste disposal Council A – In-house & Contractor.
Council B - ?
(d) Local water utility (if relevant)
(e) Forestry/Logging road issues/costs - Local Logging Infra.
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Go to one contract
Get signs altered to reflect new
Council
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO
ISSUE
Committee
(f) Council A & Council B Film & TV grouping
(g) Any flooding issues
(h) Split up of assets/liabilities – Any applicable issues to be
assessed
(i) Waste Management Strategy for Region
(j) Country towns Water and Sewer Scheme
(k) Timber Bridge replacement program
(m) Section 94 and other contributions.
13. COUNCILLOR RETURNS
(a) Laptop
(b) Fax
(c) Printer
(d) Telephone lines
(e) Credit Cards
(f) Mobile phone
(g) Car keys
(h) Office keys
14. [Insert CC name] COUNTY COUNCIL (if relevant)
(a) Staff transfer
(b) Centre of Operations
(c) IT
(d) Funding
(e) Council(s) involvement
15. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Citizenship Ceremonies
(b) Administrator (if relevant) acts as Mayor at public functions.
(c) Formal title Administrator (if relevant) for letters etc.
(d) Historical and other event celebrations
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ACTION
OFFICER
ACTION
BY WHEN
FINISHED
YES/NO