2018-06-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     12 JUNE 2018


Ordinary Meeting, 12 March 2015, Page 10, Item 3
That Council note the report by the Executive Officer to the Planning & Organisation Committee
Meeting dated 3 March 2015 and the further report to the General Committee Meeting dated 9
March 2015 and:
A.   Agree to enter into a funding deed with the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd as
     provided in Attachment 1 to the report to Planning & Organisation Committee dated 3
     March 2015 with the following changes:
     1.    Clause 4.1 Payments
           Amend clause 4.1 b) ii) to read “$250,000 (excluding GST) – payable to the NBRF
           Public Trust from the Environment Levy for projects that conserve and/or improve
           biodiversity in the Noosa Shire and have tangible and measurable outcomes”.
           Amend clause 4.1 b) iii) to read “$80,000 (excluding GST) – payable to the NBRF
           Public Trust for economic projects consistent with the purposes of the Trust.
     2.    Clause 6.2 Repayment of Funding
     Amend as outlined in the further report to General Committee dated 9 March 2015.
B.   Authorise the Chief Executive Officer to make minor alterations to the Deed, as may be
     necessary, and enter into a formal agreement with the Foundation;
C.   Agree in principle to a one-off contribution of $10,000 being for the establishment and initial
     operating costs of a community based incorporated association that is aligned with the
     purposes of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Trust, subject to no membership fees being
     charged until after the second annual general meeting;
D.   Apply the exception to the requirement for tendering under Section 236(1)(b)(ii) of the Local
     Government Regulation 2012 for the occupancy of part of Council owned premises located
     on Lot 1, RP96529 at 52 Doonella Street, Tewantin as the proposed lease is to a not for
     profit community organisation; and
E.   Authorise the Chief Executive Officer to enter into negotiations with the Noosa Biosphere
     Reserve Foundation Ltd and finalise a lease for part of Council owned premises located on
     Lot 1, RP96529 at 52 Doonella Street, Tewantin, for a period of 3 years, with a 3 year
     option.

Finance
Since the Noosa Biosphere Reserve designation in 2007, both Sunshine Coast and Noosa
Council have provided funding to support activities aligned with the purposes of the UNESCO
Man and the Biosphere program. Sunshine Coast Council allocated specific program funding as
well as providing a full time project support officer, technical management (60-70% of a role),
provided the Company Secretary role for the former company, paid for audit costs and some
additional administrative assistance as required. Noosa Council moved to the NBR Public Trust
arrangement in 2015 and continued to fund the program.

In the first year of funding under the new arrangement, provision is made for $140,000 for
operational expenses which is the same level as the previous deed, and a reduced amount for
project funding from $250,000 to $125,000 funded from the Environment Levy. Operational
expenses in years 2 & 3 of the deed will be subject to negotiation and having regard to Council’s
overall budgetary position and of course, subject to Council being satisfied in relation to NBRF
governance reform. Savings from reduced project grant funding from the Environment Levy will
be reinvested into initiatives aligned with Council’s Environment Levy Policy.

The draft 2018/19 budget includes the funding proposed under the new arrangement.



                                                                                      Page 7 of 97