Council Services

What Councils must do

Councils decide what services they will provide locally, however, there are some services which Councils are required to provide by legislation. These include:

planning and development services, including building assessment
some environmental health services, such as monitoring cooling towers for Legionnaire's Disease
fire prevention (some building inspection, and some bushfire prevention planning functions are a duty, others are discretionary)
dog and cat management
some administrative requirements, such as preparing strategic plans for the area, maintaining an office, employing a Chief Executive Officer and supporting the elected Council.

Examples of Expenditure and Services for the Wakefield Regional Council Community

Abandoned and impounded vehicles
Administration of area (including special events; political lobbying, etc).
Aged care services (eg passenger transport)
Animals and keeping of non-domestic pets
Animal and plant control (agriculture) through the local board
BBQ's in parks and reserves
Building applications
Business development
By-Laws
Car parks
Clean air controls
Citizenship
Community bus
Community care
Community functions (eg Australia Day)
Community grants
Community halls and centres
Community information
Community services directory
Council newsletter
Council property
Cycle and walking tracks
Dog management
Economic development
Emergency services levy on council property
Environmental health matters
Environmental issues
European wasp
Financial loans for community groups
Fire prevention
Footpaths
Grant procurement - capital projects
Grants - community assistance
Home maintenance assistance (government program)
Immunisation
Insurance - community buildings and other assets
Insurance - public liability (cost in 2007/2008 $76,397.00)
Land development - residential
Legislative enforcement - general
Library services
Lighting - streets/public places
Litter control
Local history
Noticeboards (public)
Ovals, Parks and Reserves
Parking bays
Parking controls
Patrol grading
Planning consent and court appeals
Playgrounds
Property searches (land agent enquiries etc)
Public cemeteries
Public seating
Public toilets
Recreational/Sporting facilities
Road management
Rubbish collection
Rubbish disposal - transfer stations and landfill
Signs - moveable/permanent
Street closures
Street lighting
Street sweeping
Street tree planting
Stormwater drainage (eg catchment facilities, kerbing, etc)
Swimming pools (public)
Tourism promotion
Traffic control devices
Tree trimming (roadsides and other public places)