The Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government (ACELG) has announced it is co-ordinating a pilot census with eight councils this week on the state of the local government workforce.

 

ACELGA announced the full census will cover all 565 councils in the country and will commence at the end of the month.

 

The census, which the ACELG says will be most ambitious local government data collection ever undertaken in the country, has been designed with an aim to:

  • mprove workforce planning within individual councils
  • support efforts towards a range of national employment strategies to address skill shortages
  • inform potential funding decisions about future local government based training
  • enhance the professionalism of local government
  • facilitate greater workforce diversity. 

 

The Centre also said that the census will also be used to develop and maintain a nationally consistent dataset on women’s participation in the local government sector, including both elected representatives and senior management positions.

 

The census is funded by the Federal Government and forms part of a national initiative by Commonwealth, State, Territory Local Government Ministers to improve local government workforce development.

 

The pilot councils are: (NSW) Rockdale Council, Pelarang Shire Council, (WA) Capel Shire Council, Stirling Council, (SA) Barossa Shire Council, (VIC) Golden Plains Shire Council, (QLD) Sunshine Coast, Townsville.

 

An affiliated website has been established for participants to ask questions, discuss and share experiences about the census: www.ALGWECensus.org

 

A project summary can be downloaded here: