The fine-tuning of board boundaries will be one of several issues considered when the State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards (RLPBs) meets this week to discuss the organisation’s reform process.

The appointment of an implementation advisory committee, new organisational name and the main office location of new regional boards will also be discussed when State Council members from across NSW meet in Orange on 6 and 7 August.

Chairman David Lister said the meeting would be crucial in determining a number of issues that would allow the implementation process, including the consolidation of boards from 47 to 14, to move forward effectively.

“State Council will then make recommendations to the Minister for Primary Industries on these issues for his consideration.

“The fine-tuning of external boundaries is one of the most pressing and State Council will consider the 25 submissions made by boards very carefully.

“Board opinion, financial viability, common regional and agricultural interests and practicalities such as travelling distances will all be taken into account,” David Lister said.

“State Council will also discuss the selection and appointment process of an advisory committee, made up of five directors and five staff members from local boards, to provide advice on implementation issues.”

David Lister added that the meeting would also provide State Council with an opportunity to address other issues that have been raised in recent weeks.

“There have been some concerns aired regarding timeframes however it’s important we take advantage of the momentum built since the annual RLPB State Conference in Coffs Harbour to deliver improvements to services sooner.

“State Council is committed to having as much of the administrative and structural reform as possible in place by 1 January 2009 which will then pave the way to implement improvements to animal health and pest animal services from mid to late 2009.

“We hold a practical and open mind about the timeframes should circumstances change or there are factors outside our influence.

“We would also like reassure landholders that there will be no closures of shop fronts and no reduction in local field staff delivering animal health and pest animal services.

“Local knowledge and experience will be retained and landholders can still visit their local board office to collect fox baits, order stock identification tags or seek help in completing drought assistance forms,” David Lister said.

The State Council meeting follows five regional information sessions held across the state during the last month which were attended by more than 350 staff and directors.

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