Reports over time

This sheet provides a history of FA Grants payments (General Purpose Grants and Identified Local Road Grants) to all local governing authorities in SA, including the State’s 68 councils, the 5 Aboriginal Communities funded by the FA Grants program and the Outback Communities Authority.

FA Grants over time (PDF, 292 KB)

These sheets provide a history of the Commission’s raw calculations, per capita applied grants and final estimated grants over time. The raw calculations apply the National Principle of horizontal fiscal equalisation, as set out in the Commission’s Annual Report and is the mechanism by which the Commission assesses relative need for each council compared to the State average.

Total Raw Calculations over time 1998-99 to 2023-24 (PDF, 447 KB)

Per Capita Applied Calculations over time 1998-99 to 2023-24 (PDF, 427 KB)

Final Estimated Grants over time 1998-99 to 2023-24 (PDF, 508 KB)

A negative total raw calculation indicates greater than average capacity and these councils are provided with a per capita minimum grant. A positive total raw calculation indicates that a council has a below average capacity to provide services and a need for grant assistance.

It is important to note that the raw calculations do not represent a final grant entitlement. These calculations allow the Commission to identify per capita minimum councils and the proportion of the pool of general purpose grants payable to councils with an assessed need for grant assistance.

A note on calculations

The per capita applied grants calculation summary provides for the allocation of grants to per capita minimum councils, determines the remaining pool of funding available for distribution for non-per capita minimum councils and provides the Commission with information about increasing or decreasing grants for non per capita minimum councils from one year to the next.

Again, it is important to note that the per capita applied calculations do not represent a final grant entitlement. These calculations allow the Commission to understand the amount available in the grant pool after grants are allocated to per capita minimum councils and changes in grants for non per capita minimum councils.

The final estimated grant summary represents the Commission’s final grant allocations over time and forms the basis of its recommendations to the Minister.  The final grant amounts take into consideration the Commission’s recommendations for changes in grants from one year to the next for each council and the application of constraints (caps and collars) to manage changes in grants.

At the bottom of each of the attachments, a brief explanation has been provided to outline changes to the methodology or significant issues that impact on grant outcomes that may contribute to changes in grants for councils in the year in which the notation relates.

This sheet provides a history of the expenditure assessments (functions) used by the Commission over time between the 1996-97 major review and up to the 2019-20 review.

Expenditure functions over time (PDF, 75 KB)

In reviewing the expenditure assessments, the Commission is attempting to maximise the assessment of expenditure need for all councils, applying a relevant unit of measure (see the Commission’s Annual Report for further detail) and meeting the needs of evolving service delivery demands from local communities.

This sheet provides a history of the Commission’s application of constraints applied to the General Purpose Grants over time.

General Purpose Grants - Model Constraints over time 1997-98 to 2023-24 (PDF, 206 KB)

The Commission uses constraints in its methodology because it has a responsibility to provide for “certainty of funding” in accordance with the Objects of the Federal Legislation.

Constraints are applied by the Commission to account for a range of issues that impact on grant outcomes from one year to the next, including:

• unforeseen changes in data from one year to the next
• specific policy choices made by the Federal Government (e.g. the indexation pause)
• changes to the methodology made by the Commission.

These issues can often result in significant changes in grant outcomes for a range of councils.

The Commission applies its judgement in the application of constraints and its recommendations of a Final Estimated General Purpose Grant to ensure that changes in grant occur in a gradual way that can be managed by affected councils within their yearly operational budgets.

The Commission maintains a record of funding allocations under the Special Local Roads Program.

This includes a history of grants provided by Regional/Metropolitan LGA, by council within the Regional/Metropolitan LGA and the total Special Local Road Grant allocations by council over time.

Learn more about road funding.