What is the Central NSW Joint Organisation?

The Central NSW Joint Organisation consists of 11 member councils – Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin. Central Tablelands Water and Upper Macquarie County Council are all Associate Members. The Board also values working with key stakeholders, importantly the NSW Government.

Central NSW is a diverse area that covers around 53,000 km2 with a population estimated to be 180,000 persons (based on Office Local Government – Council statistics – 2016 Census data).

 

What are the functions of Joint Organisations?

The Local Government Act 1993 identifies the three principal functions of Joint Organisations as follows:

Section 400R Principal Functions of Joint Organisations:

  1. A joint organisation has the following principal functions:
    • To establish strategic regional priorities for the joint organisation area and to establish strategies and plans for delivering those strategic regional priorities
    • To provide regional leadership for the joint organisation area and to be an advocate for strategic regional priorities
    • To identify and take up opportunities for inter-governmental co-operation on matters relating to the joint organisation area
  2. In establishing strategic regional priorities for the joint organisation area, a joint organisation is to consider any relevant strategic priorities or plans of member councils and the State government.
  3. A strategic regional priority, or a plan or strategy for delivering a strategic regional priority, established by a joint organisation does not limit the operation of or otherwise affect any regional plan or strategy given effect to under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (including any regional plan made under Part 3B of that Act).

 

Members

The Central NSW Joint Organisation was established by proclamation on 18 May 2018.  Membership was identified in the proclamation as:

Associate Members: