Kiama Council is celebrating Local Government Week (29 July – 4 August), highlighting the role councils play in their communities.
While we’re proud of our work fixing roads and collecting rubbish, we do so much more!
Councils in NSW help look after more than $178 billion of community assets – parks, pools, playgrounds, beaches, lost animals, local tourism, festivals and events, street lighting, cemeteries, childcare, youth and neighbourhood centres and community halls, libraries, museums, art galleries and holiday parks.
We employ more than 50,000 people in local communities right across NSW.
In fact, Kiama Council is the biggest employer in our municipality.
We drive local economies by employing lawyers, labourers, librarians, cleaners, carpenters, carers, lifeguards, electricians, engineers, planners, educators, horticulturalists, truck drivers, boiler makers, surveyors, customer service officers, administrative assistants, artists, photographers, rangers, accountants, plumbers, painters, IT specialists and youth workers.
Yes, we do manage roads. In fact, we are responsible for 90% (164,000km) of the NSW local and regional road network.
And yes, we do collect ‘rubbish’. NSW councils manage an estimated 35 million tonnes of waste each year.
But we also invest more than $2 billion each year on caring for the environment via recycling, waste and stormwater management.
That’s on top of the work we do preserving and protecting native flora and fauna.
NSW also has 450 council-run libraries that attract more than 34.8 million visits each year.
Of course, we couldn’t do all this without the support of the communities we serve.
That’s why it’s all about Your Council, Your Community.
