As Local Government Week celebrations begin to wrap up around the country, The Hills Shire Council is continuing the festivities after winning a Gold Award at the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARAs).
Council received the coveted Award for its 2021-2022 Annual Report, which outlines Council's achievements and progress in reaching its long-term vision and goals for the region.
Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Peter Gangemi said the win highlights the expertise, creativity and dedication demonstrated by Council officers who go above and beyond.
"We are incredibly proud to have been awarded gold for our Annual Report. It's fantastic to see that our Annual Report meets the ARAs criteria, which are based on world best practice," Mayor Gangemi said.
"Our Annual Report is an open and transparent document that includes highlights and challenges that we've faced as a Council, and it also looks to what we've planned for the future.
"It's an exceptional achievement and I congratulate everyone involved," Mayor Gangemi added.
The win marks Council's fifth consecutive Gold Award for its Annual Reports, that are produced yearly by officers.
It also comes at a fitting time - during Local Government Week (August 1 - 7). This special week recognises the work that Council and its officers do to support a more connected, inclusive and vibrant region.
General Manager of The Hills Shire Council, Michael Edgar said Council employs more than 600 people – each skilled in their respective field.
"Our Council officers work across many different areas including managing more than 300 parks and reserves, at four libraries, the Pioneer Theatre, in the community nursery, across five childcare centres, at the soon-to-be-opened Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre, in Hills Community Care, and carrying out planning and providing customer service," Mr Edgar said.
"The past two years has been tough on our community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and in recent flooding events – four that have happened in the last 16 months. During this challenging time, our officers worked around the clock to ensure our residents remained connected to their local community, and could also access our facilities and services.
"I thank our officers for everything that they do and I am very proud of their work, which goes to supporting local families and residents to enjoy a great quality of life," Mr Edgar added.
