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Bass Coast Named The BestLast week, Bass Coast Shire Council was awarded the ‘Best Annual Report 2005/06’ and the ‘Best Reporting on Corporate Governance’ within the Low Resources category By Bass Coast Shire Council - 24th May 2007 - Back to News at the 2007 MAV/Chartered Accountants Local Government Annual Report Awards.
Low resource councils are defined as having annual revenue below $50 million, which includes 44 of Victoria’s 79 councils.
Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Neville Goodwin said the Awards were a wonderful achievement for Council.
"It is very satisfying to receive this recognition," said Cr Goodwin.
"Councillors and Council officers work very hard to deliver the best possible outcomes for this wonderful shire.
"And it is very important that we effectively communicate to the community what we are trying to achieve."
The President of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Cr Dick Gross said Bass Coast stood out as an excellent example of a council fulfilling its reporting obligations in a transparent and accessible manner.
"A council’s annual report should communicate essential messages to a range of audiences and stakeholders and clearly reflect the year’s activities and future directions, including reporting of the actual performance against the corporate plans and budgets," said Cr Gross.
"The content of the report is the most important factor and Bass Coast produced an informative and effective report that was functional and user-friendly.
"Governance is a particularly important area of a council’s annual report as it deals with decision making processes, community consultation, the Code of Conduct, public meetings, ethics, risk management and relationships between council and the executive, and council and the community.
"Bass Coast’s annual report was acknowledged for its excellence in reporting on the range of expected governance matters," he said.
Bass Coast Shire Council also received an honourable mention in both the Best Summary and Best Financial Overview categories for low resource councils.
The assessment criteria used by the judging committee to determine winners included the overall impact and presentation of the report; accountability; corporate governance practices adopted; and the extent of plain English reporting of financial results.
In recent years the independent Awards Assessment Committee has noted ongoing improvements in reporting and performance by councils, and particularly the higher standard of annual reports being produced. Outstanding reports receive awards in recognition of their quality, but also act as a benchmark for lower performing councils and inspire all councils to lift the performance bar across the sector.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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