2021-03-09 Services & Organisation Committee Meeting Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    9 MARCH 2021


6    REPORTS FOR NOTING BY THE COMMITTEE


2    THE J – HALF-YEAR REPORT TO 31 DECEMBER 2020


Author            Community Facilities Manager, Ash Saward
                  Community Facilities Department

Index             ECM/Subject/72.01 The J

Attachments       Nil



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Community Facilities Manager to the Services & Organisation
Committee meeting dated 9 March 2021 providing an update on the activities of The J for the period
1 July to 31 December 2020.

REPORT
1.   Facility overview

When not impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, The J operates as a versatile, multi-use community
venue. It hosts a wide range of activities, performances and live entertainment. It is also home to
current tenants the University of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa Community Radio.

The J is the venue of choice for a number of community groups including Noosa Alive, Noosa
Chorale, Noosa Heads, Noosa Music Society, Alliance Françoise, Youth Justice Qld, Hillsong
Church, USC–CIDSEL, Community Solutions, Noosa Film Society, CCIQ Noosa and numerous
school and commercial dance/theatre groups who conduct a range of youth activities, performances,
awards and presentation ceremonies.

The J’s theatre/auditorium capacity sits at 402 (including portable mezzanine seating for 64). The
mezzanine area is utilised by hirers to extend theatre capacity or as a separate meeting space for
up to 50 people. The J also offers a combination of additional flexible meeting spaces, conference
rooms and facilities for hire which are complemented by covered outdoor areas and stylish open
foyers.

2.   Financial performance

The objective of all services within the Community Facilities branch is to balance the demands of
access, equity and community service obligations with sound financial management and to improve
revenue through innovative and entrepreneurial approaches, whilst minimising operational costs.

It is important to note that COVID-19 had a significant impact on the financial performance of all of
Council’s community facilities in the first half of 2020/21, mainly because operating restrictions
mandated by the State Government led to revenue reductions. That said, revenue budgets were
adjusted prior to the commencement of the year and these adjustments were based on a
conservative assumption that the facilities would not operate at all in Q1.

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