2020-03-16 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                                          16 MARCH 2020


4.       Project Selection
Attendees at the Bushfire Roundtable developed criteria to review the numerous suggestions and
create a shortlist of potential projects. Accordingly, it was agreed projects should be prioritised for
funding from the Category D $1,275,000 where it can be demonstrated that they will:
        deliver outcomes included in the Noosa 2019 Bushfires Recovery Plan;
        rebuild or repair bushfire damaged or destroyed Council assets/infrastructure where there is
         a need;
        assist in the operation, management, health and safety of evacuation centres; or
        aid Council to plan and prepare for future disasters including supporting community
         preparedness
In addition, projects should:
     have no identified alternative external funding available;
     normally be considered a Council responsibility;
     have immediate and/or sustainable benefit to the community;
     have minimal to no ongoing maintenance or resourcing required post funding period; and
     be able to be delivered by June 30, 2022.
The shortlist of proposed projects have been further reviewed by Council staff regarding feasibility,
preliminary costing and community benefit. A proposed Program of Works for submission to the
QRA has been finalised within the $1,275,000 funding amount – refer Attachment 1, noting the
format of the table is as provided by QRA.
The Program of Works includes four categories:
    Category                 Description of Projects                                            Allocation
    Infrastructure           Projects that rebuild damaged or destroyed Council                 $410,000
                             infrastructure and build new infrastructure to meet identified
                             community need
    Environment & Hazard     Projects that support the impacted environment and projects        $300,000
    Management               that aid Council in hazard management in preparedness for
                             future disasters
    Community Connection     Projects that help the community recover, prepare the              $350,000
    & Resilience             community for future disasters, build resilience and bring
                             people together
    Contingency              Projects that are emergent and support the recovery and            $225,000
                             renewal of communities
Prioritised project examples have been grouped under these headings and an amount allocated to
each category based on early costings. The specific projects selected to proceed in each category
will depend on further detailed assessment of feasibility and costing, ongoing assessment of
community need and priorities, and whether alternate funding streams become available.

Previous Council Consideration
Nil

Finance
In recognition of the severity, scale, and duration of the 2019-2020 bushfire season, the
Commonwealth Government has provided an immediate support payment of $1,275,000 to
severely affected councils activated under Category D funding of the Disaster Recovery Funding
Arrangements. This funding has already been received by Council from the QRA. It does not
require any matched funding by Council.
The ongoing maintenance and on costs associated with any improvements will need to be
considered in future budgets.
Current resources do not allow the project management to implement the suggested projects. It is
anticipated that ten (10) per cent of the project costs would be required, being approximately
$127,500 which has been factored into the forecast budgets.
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