Glossary of terms and acronymns

Glossary of terms and acronyms

Advocacy

Proactively communicating to support a recommendation of a cause or policy.

ARA

Australasian Reporting Awards.

Asset

An item of property regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies.

Asset management

Managing the maintenance of Council assets and development of new assets to ensure they meet community needs and expectations.

Asset Management Plan

A plan for managing the ongoing maintenance of existing Council assets and development of new assets to ensure they meet community needs and expectations now and into the future.

Audit

A systematic and independent examination of books, accounts, statutory records and documents of an organisation to ascertain if financial and non-financial disclosures present a true and fair view.

Capital expenditure

Funds spent by a business or organisation on acquiring or maintaining fixed assets, such as land, buildings and equipment.

Capital works program

A Council program of works which prioritises construction of necessary infrastructure to support the development of the region.

CBD

Central business district.

Community engagement

Consultative practice that enables the community to participate in Council’s decision-making processes.

Community land

Land controlled under an adopted Plan of Management and must be kept for community use only.

Community Strategic Plan

Part of a suite of documents that include the Delivery Program and Operational Plan, which outlines Council’s key actions over the next three years and budget, fees and charges and the Resourcing Strategy.

Councillors

Democratically elected by the residents and ratepayers of Georges River LGA who set strategic direction for the organisation, monitor organisational performance, liaise with stakeholders and ensure operational compliance.

Crown land

Land owned by the NSW Government and managed by Council.

DA

Development application.

Delivery Program

How we will achieve the goals and strategies of our Community Strategic Plan.

Development Control Plan (DCP)

Policy statements and more detail beyond the provisions in a LEP and serves to further guide development decisions across the LGA.

EEO

Equal Employment Opportunity.

EOI

Expression of Interest.

External audit

An audit undertaken by an external provider of the financial records and financial statements of a company.

Financial year

The period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 for this annual report.

FTE

Full time equivalent.

GIPA

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 which replaced Freedom of Information legislation

Governance

The way rules, norms and actions are structured, sustained, regulated and held accountable.

Greater Sydney Commission

Coordinates and aligns the planning that will shape the future of Greater Sydney.

Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART)

The tribunal sets the local government rate peg and assesses applications for special rate variations and council contribution plans.

Infrastructure

The basic facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society such as roads, bridges, drainage, water, and sewerage.

Integrated planning and reporting

Gives local councils a framework for establishing local priorities and to link this information to operational functions.

Level of service

A defined service quality for an activity or service area against which service performance may be measured.

Leverage

Ratio proportion of debts compared to equity/capital.

LGA

Local Government Area.

Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

An environmental planning instrument that contains legally binding provisions relating to development.

LPP

Local Planning Panel

Long Term Financial Plan

Projects financial forecasts for Council for at least 10 years and is updated annually as part of the development of the Operational Plan.

Master plan

A dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth.

Objective

A specific, measurable condition that must be attained in order to accomplish a particular program goal.

Office of Local Government (OLG)

Responsible for local government across NSW and the key adviser to the NSW Government on local government matters.

Operational Plan (OP)

An annual plan that provides details of projects and activities for one year of the Delivery Program with a detailed annual budget and fees and charges.

Operating surplus

Shows whether Council has the ability to cover its operating costs from operating revenues.

Performance measures

A measure that assists in the assessment of overall performance towards the community’s long-term objectives and lets us know if we are heading in the right direction.

Performance reporting

A program promoting Council transparency, accountability and performance.

Pillar

A theme that is important to the community and included in our Community Strategic Plan

Plan of Management

A document which regulates the use and management of community land such as parks and reserves.

Procurement

The process of finding and agreeing to terms and acquiring goods services or works from an external source.

Resourcing Strategy

A critical link when translating strategic objectives into actions.

Risk management

Minimising the incidence of injury, damage, or loss to persons or property and to the good reputation of Council.

Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC)

Eleven councils spanning Sydney’s southern and eastern suburbs, CBD and inner west.

SRV

Special Rate Variation.

Stakeholder

An individual or group with a particular interest in a project or action.

Sustainability

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Sustainable development

Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Stormwater management

Charge to manage the quantity and/or quality of stormwater that flows off land and includes a service to manage the re-use of stormwater for any purpose.

TMAP

Transport Management and Accessibility Plan

Values

Underlying attitudes that influence decisions and actions to maximise an organisation’s performance.

Vision

Statement of direction that articulates the aspirations of the community and serves as a guide to all those who contribute to it.

Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA)

An agreement entered into by a planning authority and a developer where the developer agrees to provide or fund public amenities and public services, transport or other infrastructure.

Ward

A local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes.

Work Health and Safety

The discipline concerned with protecting the health and safety of all stakeholders in the workplace from exposure to hazards and risks resulting from work activities.