2019-09-10 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          10 SEPTEMBER 2019


6                        ENVIRONMENT GRANTS POLICY
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                             Craig Doolan, Environmental Services Manager
                                   Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index                              ECM/ Environment Grants

Attachments                        1.   Revised Environment Grants Policy
                                   2.   Draft Multi-year Collaborative Environmental Grants - Operating
                                        Guideline

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environmental Services Manager to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 10 September 2019 and:
A.                       Repeal the Environment Grants Policy adopted on 21 February 2019 and adopt the revised
                         Environment Grants Policy provided at Attachment 1 to the Report;
B.                       Note the Draft Multi-year Collaborative Environmental Grants - Operating Guideline
                         provided at Attachment 2 to the Report, developed by the Environment Levy Working
                         Group, as per the Environment Grants Policy; and
C.                       Approve the Environment Grants being directed towards outcomes of the Biodiversity and
                         Waterways, Wetlands & Coasts sections of the Noosa Environment Strategy, while the
                         Environment Levy remains the sole funding source for the Grants.


REPORT
Environment Grants Policy
At the Ordinary Meeting 21 February 2019, Council adopted the Environment Grants Policy, to
allow for a grant program to support the implementation of the Noosa Environment Strategy.
The first round of Environment Project Grants and Environment Organisation Alliance Grants
were held successfully early in 2019.
Currently the Environment Levy Policy only allows for the Environment Levy to fund project or
programs that protect, enhance and increase the resilience of Noosa’s natural environment.
However the purpose of the Environment Grants Policy is to implement the Noosa Environment
Strategy, which is broader than this definition, and includes outcomes, actions and targets with
regard to Sustainable Living and Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. The Environment
Grants Policy was also adopted prior to the final adoption of the Noosa Environment Strategy.
To this point in time, all funding allocated to the Environment Grants program has come from the
Environment Levy, so project applicants have been required to align their applications with
specific sections to the Noosa Environment Strategy that align with the purpose of the
Environment Levy.
It was the intent of the Environment Grants Policy that it would be broad enough to allow for other
funding sources in the future that could therefore implement all elements of the Noosa
Environment Strategy. Some wording of the current policy does not allow for this, and the revised
version for adoption attached to this report rectifies this.


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