Whose job is community services?

Councils can play quite a broad role in community services, whether building facilities, managing services or developing and coordinating cooperative arrangements with other governments and groups.  Councils may provide services that assist with specific health and social needs of aged residents, youth, those with disability or other people in your community.

Councils may help with funding items for these communities, or obtaining funding for them from other sources.  Councils may purchase and donate land or help develop it, they may provide office space for community services workers, or provide complete and ongoing administration and management of services.

The exact choice of services a council provides depends on the what the specific community needs are along with budget the community can afford.  A council will look at the gaps in community services due to the inability of governments, business and other groups to provide those services.

For example, in areas where there is insufficient private child care, councils may build and run a child care centre.  Or if there is a need for a specialist educational centre in the community, such as the 'Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre' in Burnie, then the council may choose to get involved.

Who pays?

Councils pay for legally required public health services from rates.  Councils may fund a range of additional community services from rates and other income.

The exact choice of services a council provides, depend on the what the specific community needs are, along with budget the community can afford.