By Staff Writer 

 

A partnership between New South Wales councils and The University of New England (UNE) will address regional engagement between the institutions and ways of dealing with the chronic skills shortage in local government.

Through a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed last week, councils will link up with the university on cooperative ventures in research, consultancies, grant applications, cadetships and scholarships for local students.

 

Mayors and General Managers from Armidale Dumaresq, Glen Innes Severn, Guyra, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Inverell, Liverpool Plains, Moree Plains, Narrabri, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Uralla and Walcha Councils were on campus for a session of roundtable talks aimed at promoting higher levels of engagement between the university and local government.

 

ADC Mayor Cr Peter Ducat said the MOU signified the beginnings of a new level of community engagement between the region’s two largest organisations.

“There will be a significant flow on of benefits to all council constituents”, he said.

 

UNE has already signed MOUs with Clarence Valley and Guyra Councils, and a similar agreement with Norfolk Island.

 

“It makes sense for rural and regional councils to interact as closely as possible with their regional university,” said UNE Chancellor Richard Torbay. 

“We have a history of engagement because of our community of interest but this can be taken further as today’s enthusiastic discussions have proved.

 

“Working together we have an added strength to take a leadership role on issues such as health, education, the environment, sustainable development and delivery of services from a regional vantage point.”

 

Dr Torbay said one of the aims of the partnerships would be to address the chronic skills shortage in local government and looking at ways to stop the flow of talent to larger cities. 

“We all want to arrest the drift of young people to the big metropolitan cities because they can’t get jobs in rural areas,” he said.

“We want to attract people with expertise to fill the skills shortage and we want to develop the skills of local people through schools, TAFE and the university working together.”