AGY-6971 | Local Land Services

Full description

Local Land Services was established from 1 January 2014 under section 8 of the Local Land Services Act 2013 (Act No.51, 2013) as a NSW Government agency. (1)

Local Land Services was a statewide agency, governed by a Board of Chairs, with an independent chair and the chairs of local regional boards. Services included assistance for agricultural production; emergency management; drought assistance and other natural disaster relief; support for Aboriginal communities; biosecurity; livestock health; stock movement and identification; maintenance of travelling stock routes; protection of agricultural industry through district veterinarians and biosecurity officers as stock inspectors; control of pest animals, insects and weeds; natural resource management; and, biodiversity. (2)

Local Land Services had the following functions:
(a) to administer, deliver or fund local land services,
(b) to develop and implement appropriate governance arrangements for the delivery of local land services,
(c) to prepare a State strategic plan
(d) to provide and facilitate education and training in connection with agricultural production, biosecurity, natural resource management and emergency management,
(e) to make and levy rates, levies and contributions on rateable and other land for the purpose of carrying out its functions,
(f) to provide and administer grants, loans, subsidies or other financial assistance for activities in relation to local land services,
(g) to collect, collate, maintain, interpret and report information with respect to its functions,
(h) to communicate, consult and engage with the community, including the Aboriginal community, to encourage participation in relation to the delivery of local land services,
(i) to provide advice on matters referred to it by the Minister,
(j) to exercise such other functions as were conferred or imposed on it by or under the Local Land Services Act or any other Act.

Local Land Services was to exercise its functions in accordance with any State priorities for local land services and any plan approved under Part 4 of the Local Land Services Act. (3)

There were eleven Local Land Services regions created from 2 August 2013, with a board for each region established from 1 January 2014. (4) They were: Central Tablelands Local Board; Central West Local Board; Greater Sydney Local Board; Hunter Local Board; Murray Local Board; North Coast Local Board; North West Local Board; Northern Tablelands Local Board; Riverina Local Board; South East Local Board, and Western Local Board. Each local board was a NSW Government agency. (5)

The Act established a Board of Chairs which was to consist of the Chair of the Board of Chairs, the chair of each local board and such other persons with relevant skills and experience as may be appointed by the Minister. (6) The Board had such functions as were conferred or imposed on it by the Act. (7)

All decisions relating to the functions of Local Land Services were to be made by or under the authority of the Board. The Chair of the Board of Chairs was responsible for the day-to-day management of the affairs of Local Land Services, subject to the policies and direction of the Board. (8)

Local Land Services could not directly employ staff but could arrange for the use of the services of any staff or of any facilities of any government agency to enable Local Land Services to exercise its functions. (9) Staff of livestock health and pest authorities under the former Rural Lands Protection Act and catchment management authorities under the former Catchment Management Authorities Act were transferred to Local Land Services. (10)

From 13 October 2017 the Local Land Services Amendment Act 2017 (Act No.48, 2017) renamed the Board of Chairs as the Local Land Services Board and the Chair of the Board of Chairs became the Chief Executive Officer. (11) The amended functions of the Local Land Services Board were: (a) to determine the general policies and strategic direction of Local Land Services; (b) to determine the policies, procedures and directions of Local Land Services in accordance with which a local board must exercise its functions, and (c) such other functions as are conferred or imposed on it by or under the Local Land Services Act 2013 or any other Act or law. (12)

Local Land Services was transferred from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to the Department of Regional NSW when it was formed on 2 April 2020. (13)

Endnotes
1. Local Land Services Act 2013 (Act No.51, 2013), ss.8-9.
2. About Local Land Services: Improving primary production within healthy landscapes. Brochure downloaded from Local Land Services, Central Tablelands webpage https://centraltablelands.lls.nsw.gov.au/resource-hub/publications (accessed 4 May 2018).
3. Local Land Services Act 2013, s.14.
4. Ibid., ss.27, 28.
5. Ibid., s.25.
6. Ibid., s.26.
7. Ibid., s.10.
8. Commencement Proclamation under the Local Land Services Act 2013 No 51 (2013 No 407); published NSW Legislation Website, 2 August 2013.
9. Ibid., s.13.
10. Ibid., Sch. 6, cl.6.
11. Local Land Services Amendment Act 2017 (Act No.48, 2017), Schedule 1 cls.2 amending section 10 of the Principal Act and cls.9 amending section 25 of the Principal Act.
12. Ibid., Schedule 1 cls.10 amending section 26 (1) of the Principal Act.
13. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes – Regional NSW and Independent Planning Commission) Order 2020