May 21, 2009

Tamworth Regional Council’s finance team has topped the state pool when it comes to accounting for what it does and compiling the statements that show it best.

TRC has won the NSW award for best presented financial statements at the Local Government Finance Professionals Conference – voted the top team from more than 100 other NSW councils.

And four senior staff have been singled out by TRC for outstanding work in putting the figures together that scooped the pool to win the Local Government Financial Statement Award.

The award represents the set of financial statements that are the most technically correct, the best presented and ones which provide the most relevant information to the end user.

Finance manager Mark Crompton says the finance team comprises about 20 men and women who inhabit the “back office world” of local government but regard themselves as the spiritual “engine room” of council operations.

“In the overall scheme of things most people might regard it as a minor award, but for all of us it’s a significant recognition of the effort and professionalism we put in,” Mr Crompton said.

“It’s not often that the finance people get to show off their figures or their work like the higher profile council departments get to reveal or promote their projects and successes.”

The key staff were the accountancy veterans Sherrill Young, Rick Sanderson and Michael Gould, who all report to Mark. The four have all had long local government careers in the finance field but admit that these days they’re way past their prime of doing any maths in their head and rely on the abacus or spreadsheet to ensure they get it right. About the only time they tend to dust the cobwebs is at home when they’re counting the change from the kids.

The original architect of the statements was TRC’s statutory accountant Sherrill Young, and according to the blokes, the main overseer preparing the statements year round and ensuring compliance with all statutes and laws. Rick Sanderson is the systems accountant and has a responsibility for obtaining all the data from TRC’s finance system to enable the statements to be compiled. Mick Gould is the management accountant who reviews and checks compliance and prepares words for reports as well as figures.

General Manager Glenn Inglis has paid tribute to the team, saying that while for a lot of people the award mightn’t seem all that sexy in comparison to some recent big wins like Australia's Tidy Town national award and the AELEC state architectural award, it was up there with the best.

“From my perspective it’s a very important and material accomplishment,” Mr Inglis said.

“I have often indicated that 'nothing else matters' if you botch the finances of a council, that’s the end. You’re nearly dead in the water. Many of the good things that this council has achieved are only there because of what the finance team has been able to do. They are the mechanics of the engine room and this award highlights their professionalism.”

Ballina council was the runner-up in the state award. It is the second time in 10 years that Tamworth has won the award.