2019-02-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 12 FEBRUARY 2019


Finance
The budget allocated out of the Environment Levy for environmental grants for 2018/19 is
$235,000. This was based on;
    $110,000 was the estimate of annual expenditure in the 2017/18 financial year on
      environment-related grants within the Community Grants Program. As a result, this amount
      was allocated from the Environment Levy to support a grants program of a similar scale in
      the 2018/19 financial year.
    $125,000 was allocated from the Environment Levy to support an expansion of the
      Environment Grants Program to allow for multi-year collaborative projects, as proposed in
      the Environment Grants Policy.
A further $125,000 was allocated from the Environment Levy to the Noosa Biosphere Reserve
Foundation in accordance with the current funding deed which stipulates that this grant funding
should be used for projects that advance the principal purpose of the Biosphere. A further $70,000
was allocated from the Environment Levy towards operation support funding for NBRF.
As discussed above for the remaining period of the current funding deed with NBRF (due to expire
June 30, 2021), the deed states the ‘NBRF will need to lodge applications with Council for projects
to be funded from the Environment Levy. Such applications will be assessed against other
applications received and in consideration of the total amount allocated towards grant projects from
the Environment Levy’.
In subsequent years, Council will determine the total allocation of funds to the Environment Grants
Program through its annual budget process
Given the likely date of adoption for the Environment Strategy and the time needed to develop
larger projects, it is probable that the majority of extra $125,000 in 2018/19 allocated for multi-year
collaborative projects will not be expended this financial year.
Risks & Opportunities
There is great opportunity within the Environment Grants to improve capacity within local
environment groups, allow for implementation of projects related to Council’s key environment
strategies and plans, and also bring in further matching funding, to maximise the total spend on
environment projects.
There will be at least one more round of Community Grants prior to the final adoption of the
Environment Strategy. In the current Environment Grants Policy, Environment Project Grants and
Environment Organisation Alliance Grants will follow the timetable of the Community Grants
program to allow for significant efficiencies in administration. An Interim Evaluation Criteria is
proposed for the assessment of these grants.
The promotion, assessment and acquittal of grants has a significant administrative load. The
Environment Grants Policy has been written to take advantage of the existing administrative
process and resources in place within Council. The development of the Multi-year Environment
Collaborative Projects will potentially take significant resources, especially if the program grows
over time, this will need to be monitored over time.
Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Nil




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