Local government is not just an agency in charge of road repairs and rubbish collection, one authority says.

South Australian mayor David O’Loughlin says the general public often has a skewed view of what it is that council actually does.

Addressing a Local Government Association forum on Economic Development, Mayor O’Loughlin said he regularly heard calls for Councils to go back to basics – often described as “roads and rubbish”.

But he pointed out that SA's very first Council in the 1840‘s operated an abattoir, water supply and markets as economic opportunities, while also leasing land for economic purposes.

“Councils have always been about caring for and supporting communities to achieve everything they can, be it infrastructure, community services or a healthy local economy” he said.

Nowadays, the president of the LGA of SA says councils have even more complicated tasks in their everyday activities.

He said developing Main Street environments, local tourism initiatives, tailored investment attraction packages, business networking and support services, trade relations with China and working with other councils on regional development strategies are all frequent tasks of the modern council.

“These are just a small sample of the wide range of economic development activity Councils are working on, in addition to the day to day business of running local communities,” Mayor O’Loughlin added.

“Councils and their supporters needed to question people holding local economies back, because in doing so they hold back the State and the nation.

“We are there to fight for communities and our communities are comprised of all types of people, families, institutions, enterprises and employees, all looking for a better and more secure future. We have a role and we need to step up and be active in ensuring our cities are healthy desirable places in every aspect, including our local economies,” he said.