2021-06-08 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                         8 JUNE 2021


1.      Funding Deed 2018-2021
The current Funding Deed which expires on 30 June 2021 provided specific funding towards
operational expenses of NBRF for the first year of the agreement (2018/19 financial year). For years
two and three, funding was subject to negotiation and decision by Council as part of the annual
budget process. To support this, NBRF were required to provide Council with details of its funding
request by no later than 30 March each year.
The Deed also provided for $125,000 of the Environment Levy to be quarantined for contribution to
NBRF projects in the first year of the deed. NBRF did not seek this funding, so it was not provided.
For the subsequent two years of the agreement, NBRF was required to lodge applications for
projects to be funded as part of the Council grants program, for them to be assessed against other
applications received. NBRF did not lodge any grant applications for the period of this agreement,
resulting in no additional funding for projects during the term of the agreement. Since 1 July 2018,
projects have been funded from unexpended funds rolled-over from the previous funding deed
periods and from other sources of funding.
A summary of the budget provision and total payments made to the Foundation over the 3-year term
of the deed is provided below. For the first two years of the Deed the funding for operational
expenses was split evenly between general rates and the Environment Levy. For the final year of
the Deed, the funding for operational expenses is 100% from the Environment Levy.
    Financial Year    Original Budget      Actuals paid to   Actuals paid to     Total paid to NBRF
                            Allocation              NBRF              NBRF
                                            (Operational)         (Projects)
    2018/19                   140,000             140,000                  0                 140,000
    2019/20                   120,000             120,000                  0                 120,000
    2020/21                   100,000             100,000                  0                 100,000
    Totals:                                       360,000                  0                 360,000
2.      Funding outcomes
The most recent annual report for the NBRF (for the completion of the 2019/20 financial year)
identified that since the organisation’s inception in 2015, Council investment of about $1 million has
yielded projects to the value of $3.4 million. This figure does not include some very significant
investments made as a result of planning and scoping undertaken from the utilisation of NBRF issued
grants;
       $1.2 million contribution by The Nature Conservancy (matched by Council) to deliver oyster
        ecosystem restoration projects in the Noosa River. A further $1.2 million by the Australian
        Government to The Nature Conservancy to expand on the Noosa River oyster ecosystem
        restoration projects in the Noosa River has been announced in May 2021.
       $1.6 million provided by the Australian Government for Stage 1 of implementation of the Noosa
        Trails Master Plan.
       $98,000 funding for a University of the Sunshine Coast koala vaccine trial as an outcome of
        bringing experts together at the 2019 Koala Symposium .
       The Keeping it in Kin Kin project has attracted ongoing funding from State and Federal
        governments, and philanthropic trusts in excess of $190,000.
NBRF has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the Sunshine
Coast and will be providing top-up funding at a rate of 4:1 return on investment for 2 PhD Research
Projects per year, with projects in line with Council’s Environment Strategy.
As well as these significant extra investments, the initial trial of the Noosa Environmental Education
Hub is thriving and providing an invaluable resource to local schools and bringing Noosa youth to
the table, to discuss environmental matters.
The strategic phases of NBRF projects of INVESTIGATE – PILOT – DELIVERY can be clearly seen
in the successful projects above.

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