2015-10-19 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                              19 OCTOBER 2015


3                      NOOSA BIOSPHERE RESERVE FOUNDATION GRANT PROCESS
CUMENT INF ORM ATION




Author                            Chief Executive Officer, Brett de Chastel
                                  Executive Office

Index                             ECM/Subject/39.23 Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation - Management

Attachments                       Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the General Committee Meeting
dated 19 October 2015 and advise the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Board that Council
A.                     Supports the Board considering expressions of interest that have been submitted to the
                       Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation as part of their grant process, where those
                       expressions of interest relate to potential projects that require funding beyond 30 June
                       2016;
B.                     Notes that the Board cannot provide final approval for any multi-year projects until it
                       receives Council’s approval pursuant to section 4.2 of the Funding Deed and requests the
                       Board to seek that approval in due course; and
C.                     Will consider funding for future financial years for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve
                       Foundation as part of the Council’s annual budget process in accordance with the funding
                       agreement.


REPORT
Introduction
As Council would be aware, it has provided funding to the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation
(NBRF) in accordance with a funding deed entered into between Council and NBRF. The
funding deed runs until 30 June 2018.
The funding provided in the 2015/16 financial year is in accordance with section 4.1 (c) of that
funding deed namely:-
(a)                    $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;
(b)                    $80,000 (excluding GST) – payable to NBRF Public Trust for economic projects consistent
                       with the purposes of the Trust.
Prior to 30 June 2014, the Council also paid $40,000 to NBRF for start-up operational expenses
in accordance with the terms of the funding deed. The Council also pays $140,000 in the
2015/16 financial year for operational funding.
Under the funding deed, the funding for each of the subsequent years (2016/17 and 2017/18) will
be negotiated on an annual basis between the Council and NBRF. Those negotiations include a
requirement for NBRF to present details of its funding requirements to be considered as part of
Council’s annual budget process.



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