2020-06-09 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      9 JUNE 2020


C.   Agree that the cost of this public consultation process will be referred to Budget Review 3;
     and
D.   Note this proposal is for the 2020-21 budget process only, and may be refined or
     reconsidered by any future Council for any future Noosa Council budgets.”

2    Progress in Implementing Recommendations and COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts

Following the resolution, work commenced in late 2019 – early 2020 to identify the full list of
community groups and incorporated associations to be contacted and invited to participate in the
reference group. Some initial work had also commenced in considering the format and content of
information that would be made available online through the Your Say Noosa portal to ensure
that the information provided was relatively simple to understand to ensure maximum community
input.

Unfortunately the momentum of the project was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the
redirection of staff focus and resources to deal with the immediate impacts of the crisis on
Council and the community, including local businesses. It was also considered impractical to
continue with the creation of a Community Representative Budget Reference Group given:
     Community and business stakeholder groups were also individually dealing with the crisis
      which has been changing on a weekly basis; and
     The ability to hold any reference group meetings due to social distancing measures and
      likely challenges implementing a technology solution in the required timeframe.

Following the initial crisis management response by Council, further urgent analysis has also
been required to understand the financial sustainability implications on Council from the
pandemic, for the remainder of the 2019/20 financial year and the 2020/21 budget and forward
estimates contained in the 10 year financial plan. This work has been essential in developing a
financial recovery plan and to ‘reset’ normal business as usual decision making processes
regarding the development of the annual budget, which normally includes targeting an operating
surplus position and meeting the other ratio targets contained in Council’s Financial Sustainability
Policy.

Unfortunately this additional work has meant that it is now impractical to proceed with the trial as
per the November Council resolution. It is proposed however that as business as usual returns to
the organisation, businesses, and the general community over the coming months, the trial can
recommence for the 2021/22 budget process.

Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 21 November 2019, Item 1, Page 3
That Council:
A.   Agree to undertake a trial public consultation process during the development of the 2020-
     21 budget as set out in this Mayoral Minute;
B.   Note that any actual budget decisions can only be made as a resolution of Council as part
     of the budget adoption process under the Local Government Act but that community input
     into this process will be valuable for Councillors and the organisation;
C.   Agree that the cost of this public consultation process will be referred to Budget Review 3;
     and
D.   Note this proposal is for the 2020-21 budget process only, and may be refined or
     reconsidered by any future Council for any future Noosa Council budgets.




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