Mayor Brian Ingram says: “The function of Hilltops Council now goes well beyond its traditional core services of ‘rates, roads and rubbish.”
“Over the past 12 months our community have faced unprecedented challenges, from drought to the effect of the bushfires and now the COVID-19 pandemic and we have risen to the occasion with the creation of alternative employment opportunities to get people through the drought, provided support to bushfire affected areas and worked hard to drive economic recovery in response to the pandemic.”
“Local Government Week is not about blowing our own trumpet, it’s about making people aware of the many services we provide to make Hilltops a great place to live, work and play and the role we have as a major employer in supporting the lives of our 273 employees who deliver those services.”
“The theme this year is ‘Councils Do’ and we do proactively support the community through a diverse range of service delivery, planning and leadership. We recognise that we are the hub of our communities responsible for planning, delivery and maintenance of infrastructure, community events, libraries, sporting fields, parks, pools, cemeteries, overseeing building and development, right through to the collection of rubbish and so much more. Local Government is pivotal and underpins the lives of all residents,” he concluded.
Hilltops Council General Manager Anthony O’Reilly said “Council takes its role serving the Hilltops community seriously. We are the grassroots, frontline level of government for most people in NSW.”
“It’s an exciting time to be in Local Government which is constantly evolving to meet the needs of community. Council is charged with the responsibility of balancing new development, critical for our local economy, with the preservation of local amenity, services and infrastructure for residents,” he shared.
There are 128 councils across NSW, employing around 45,000 full time staff, managing more than 93,000 hectares of open space, 165,000 kilometres of roads and 65,000 development applications each year.
For more information on the range of services provided by Hilltops Council visit www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au